Girl Troubles
by S. Wright
Summary: Former King of Games, Yuugi Motou life is changed when he accepted a challenge from a stranger. YY Romance.
1. Chapter One

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

This is my first Yu-gi-oh fanfic so bear with me. All of what I know of the subject comes from the anime and it's inspired by the fics that I have read in the last two weeks.

Now for the interesting stuff.

This is a Yami/Yuugi romance. (I can't see them with anyone else.)

I am a firm believer in creative license and I love the unpredictable so this is an A/U fic.

Yugioh is not my thing, I usually write Sailor Moon fics, but I am stepping out of my norm to try this idea. But it's no fun if no one is reading it. So please review, I would like to know what you all think about my first Yugioh fic.

Chapter One

His life points had gone to zero. Yuugi Motou could not believe it. He had been defeated, he the once King of Games, was defeated and this time when it truly did count.

Yami would be so disappointed...He was going to be hurt. Yuugi had unwittingly forfeited his own life by agreeing to play this game, but he hadn't known!

He had been duped, tricked by what he though was an innocent offer from someone who wanted to challenge the former King of Games just for fun.

Yuugi had at first been flattered, but that was not why he wanted to play. He still enjoyed the game, now more than he ever had after his win at Duelist Kingdom. It wasn't fun for him at the any other tournaments after he and the former Pharaoh of Kemet Atemu, now know as Yami, were separated. And his defeat against Yami three years ago released him from the burden of the heavy title of King of Games and allowed him to be Yuugi again. So he retired, with the rank of second top duelist in the world, a title Seto Kaiba was could never settle for before he was forced out of the game completely. And Yuugi had been happy with it and his decision.

A decision that had cost him everything.

"Hikari!" bellowed Yami as he searched another darken alley way for his light.

"Yuugi!" He heard being called a block over.

"Yug!" from another direction.

Long fingers pushed the soaking wet tri colored hair from his face and back over his shoulders. Frustration and fear in his dark glances. _Yuugi._ He tired their mental link for the hundredth time and again came up with silence. "Hikari!" He yelled again.

He tried not to assume the worst. They would find Yuugi; he just had to believe that. They would find him, safe and sound, if not, this world was going to suffer.

Pushing rain soaked hair from his eyes, Jounochi Katsuya started around the next corner. God, it was really starting the pour. They had been searching for over two hours. Two hours compared to the three Yami and Sugoroku Motou had been looking for Jou's best friend. It was Sunday. Yuugi always went out by himself on Sunday's. It was usually just to hang out at the park or get lost in the library for hours until he went to meet Yami at where ever they chose for a late lunch date.

But Yuugi never made it to their date. Yami said he waited over an hour before finally called home to see if Yuugi was there. Sugoroku became worried and the two went out to look for the boy, Yami went to all the places that Yuugi and he would go to and Sugoroku hit Yuugi's favorite places. After coming up empty, they started calling friends and that brought them all out. Mokuba Kaiba had called the others and they organized heir own search party on the other side of town while Jou, Honda, Anzu and Ryou joined Yami and Sugoroku. The youngest Kaiba brother said that would look at all the gaming shops and had gotten his brother to through about a little weight to have the police involved.

Jou looked up at the towering buildings that surrounded him, it was dark now and the rain continued in a steady downpour.

"Yuugi, I hope we find you soon, buddy."

His cell phone was ringing again. Yami snatched the thing out of it carrier and glared at the Caller ID, it was Mai this time. Yami fought down a growl as he put the thing back in its black leather case unanswered. Yuugi had insisted that they had cell phones. Yami did not understand the reason why since he and Yuugi could communicate through their soul bond. Yuugi had laughed asking him if they could share this bond with all of their friends. Of course Yami said no and then he immediate grasped his Hikari's point. But that did not mean he liked having the noisy little contraption with him, but now Yami was praying that when the little piece of hard black plastic would sound and the voice on the other end would be Yuugi's.

He was praying to every deity he could recall, humbling himself before them all for his beloved to at least turn on his cell phone or just respond to Yami's calls through their link.

"Hikari!" He roared. "Damn it, answer me!" _Yuugi, please, answer me. I fear I shall go mad if I lose you._

"Yuugi?" A tall, slender girl called from beneath the protection of a bright yellow umbrella. "Yuugi, where are you?" Her blue and white cell phone rang and Anzu pressed the talk button. "Hello?" She adjusted her earpiece as she looked about anxiously.

"Anzu, it's Ryou." The caller identified himself.

"Ryou, have you had any luck?"

"No, not personally," the English boy said. He sounded as if he were running. "Honda saw Weevil a half hour ago and Weevil claimed to have seen Yuugi going towards the warehouse district with a strange girl."

"Yuugi, with a girl?" Anzu cried in disbelief.

"I know; Neither Honda nor I did not believe it. Weevil said he thought it was odd as well. He called out him, but Yuugi did not answer him. He called to him again and the girl told him to leave them alone. He went on to say that the girl grabbed Yuugi's arm and they ran off..."

"Have you told Yami?" She asked quickly.

"The Pharaoh is not answering his phone." Ryou told her. "Ra, we're here..."

In the background she could hear Honda cry out, "Yuugi!"

"My yami said he would find the Pharaoh and bring him here." Ryou was saying.

"Where are you guys?" Anzu turned around and started the other way as Ryou gave her the directions. She rung off and started to run all the way praying that Yuugi was there and he was all right.

"Yuugi." Brown eyes peered into another shadowed entrance. "Yuugi, hey, you in here, buddy?"

"Honda," Ryou shouted from further up ahead.

Reluctantly, Honda turned away from the vacant warehouse and started to where his friend was. He trotted over to the white haired youth who was on his knees in puddle. Honda looked down at what he doing and he fell to his knees sharply. He picked up one of the cards floating in the rain water, his entire body shaking with dread as he stared at the Dark Magician card.

"Yuugi..." His voice broke before he could finish the though. He would not allow himself to finish the though.

Ryou was silently gathering all the cards. His innocent face was soaked, either from tears or the rain, Honda did not know. But at that moment, he envied Ryou's ability to express his emotions so freely.

Wordlessly, Honda helped the pale boy gather up all the cards. Each card, Honda knew almost as well as any of Yuugi's friends. It was Yuugi's dueling deck. His prized deck, with the first cards his grandfather had given to him, the others he had added before he retired and those he had picked up over the years since then.

_Yuugi was sitting on the park bench, in his hands the black and gold cards. He shuffled them expertly. He scooped up five and fanned them out for the little kids that had gathered around him and he patiently named each of them for the excited youngsters. _

_Yami was dueling against Kaiba again and that had the attention of everyone else in the park. But the little kids were far more interested in the little guy and his deck of cards, which he allowed them to touch. Honda had turned, looking for Yuugi when he spotted him there._

"_This is the Dark Magician." Yuugi held up his prized card. _

_Honda moved away from the duel and went to join his friend. Yami had Kaiba on the ropes and ever since he gained his own body, his style of dueling had become ruthless and completely without mercy. Yami always went for the kill; first he toyed with his chosen victim, deceiving the poor soul into believing that he could actually win. Then when the person was at his or her absolute highest point, Yami would slam them, hard. He would receive some perverse bit of pleasure after emotional crippling and humiliating the other duelist. He was hammering into Kaiba. He had viciously ripped Kaiba's defenses to shreds and rendered Kaiba's most powerful monsters and magic useless. And Yami was now going for the finishing blow. Poor Kaiba, he thought knew what he was getting into when he challenged Yami to this duel. But he never stood a chance and at that moment he finally understood that._

"_Yuugi?" Honda stood behind his friend; he laid a gentle hand on the smaller boy's shoulder._

_Yuugi looked up at him with a bright smile on his face, "Honda, how's Yami doing?"_

_Honda glanced back at the two duelists, Kaiba had dropped his hand and the cards fell around him and he followed them to the ground in defeat._

"_Yami's won."_

_Yuugi looked up quickly, his eyes flickered over the two duelists, and his eyes lingering briefly over the defeated figure of Seto Kaiba before he returned his attention to the children. "He always does." He said with a hint of pride._

"_Hey," one of the kids grabbed a card from Yuugi's lap. "What's this one called?"_

_Yuugi took the card and tried not to laugh, "This is a Kuriboh."_

_The kids looked at the life points and then said. "It's too little, it's not that strong."_

_Yuugi gasped in mock horror. "Not strong?" He cried in mock horror. "I'll have you know that with this little guy and this—" He picked up two other cards, "—I was able to defeat Pegasus and win at Duelist Kingdom." He looked at his Karibo and smiled, "Yes, he maybe little, but he hides a great strength. So never discount a card because of power. If you are a smart duelist, even your weakest card can become your most powerful one."_

Yeah, Yuugi was the smallest of their tight knit group, but he was the center of it, the very heart that drew them all together. He was their Kuriboh, the little guy that could bring down a giant and if something had happened to him...

No! Honda would not allow himself to think that. They were going to find Yuugi and he was going to be all right, they were going to be all right. Heck, in a couple days they were going to kick back and laugh about this night. Yeah, Yuugi would be back in their midst, taking a ribbing from Jou about how he dropped all his cards and got them soaked. Yami's going to warn Jou off, but there wasn't going to be in maliciousness in his tone. It never was with those two, they both loved Yuugi and that was basis of their friendship. Of course Anzu would chime in, scolding both of them, Ryou would laugh while Bakura scowled. And he, well, he would try to get Yami to teach him how do play Dungeon Dice again. Then Mokuba would come along, bringing some new game in the hopes of beating Yuugi, but it would never get the chance because Yami would be intrigued and then would start learning the rules while he would watch them play. After that it would go down hill for Mokuba and his hopes of finally beating Yuugi, Yami would innocently start coaching both players before just focusing completely on telling Mokuba what to do before he would just move Mokuba out of the way so he could challenge Yuugi. The former King of Games and the current one would make a hash out of whatever it was they would be playing, but they wouldn't stop until one of them one won. And all them would cheer them both on, making fake bets, try to help them cheat each other, or just lie about and relax and let the day go by. It had to happen that way, it just had too...

"Honda." The dark, powerful voice of Yami called to the tall youth.

Ryou was up on his feet already, his hands, were Yuugi's cards. The chocolate-eyed boy looked nervously at the Pharaoh who came to a stop a few feet before them. Yami was looking at them expectantly.

"Have you located Yuugi?" Yami demanded. He address the taller youth at the white haired hikari, known that boy would burst into tears if anyone so much as frowned in his direction attention to Honda. But Honda was not looking at him, Yami grabbed the boy by his shoulders, his grip leaving bruises on the other boy, but Yami was almost beyond reasoning with at that moment. "Honda, where is Yuugi?" He roared.

A strong arm was thrown around Yami's neck and he was pulled off the boy he had just forced to his knees.

"Pharaoh, control yourself." Bakura barked as he yanked Yami back. "The boy had nothing to do with your Hikari's lose. He is trying to help..."

Ryou had dropped to his knees beside Honda. "Are you alright?" he put the cards down on the wet ground as he tried to attend to Honda.

Yami shook the tomb robber off, cold crimson eyes warned the white haired thief to never lay hand on him again or he would suffer a fate worst than anything he could imagine. Bakura stepped back, holding his hands up in a compliance, he could not handle Yami on a good day and the one time tomb robber was not about to tempt this man on a one of his worst days.

Seeing that he was understood, Yami stepped past the two boys on the ground and he restarted his search.

He could feel something here. It was strong and very old. It was taunting him and the dark magic that he controlled so maliciously. Yami stopped. Slowly, he looked to the left and then to the right. He turned sharply in that direction and once again he felt Bakura's hands on him, but this time not trying to restrain him.

"Do you feel that, Pharaoh?" His voice with pitched low to keep the hikari and the mortal from hearing.

Yami nodded.

Bakura dropped his hands and stepped forwards slightly. "What is it? I've never felt a magic like this before?"

"Nor have I." Was the detached reply. Yami moved forward as well. "I sense, something human inside of it."

"Your hikari?"

Yami shook his head, a frown marred his features slight as he concentrated on the feeling.

_/...Atemu.../ _

He whipped about quickly, his eyes scanning everything insight as he reached out greedily for the faint voice that lingered in his mind. _Yuugi, hikari, where are you?_ He demanded urgently. _Yuugi?_ Again there was silence. He tried again and felt nothing. Cold dread wrapped it hands around Yami's heart. _Yuugi, answer me. Where are you? Are you all right?_

Bakura started intently into the darkness. Dark brown eyes narrowed sharply when he felt something in the darkness shift.

"Pharaoh!" He called out sharply.

Yami turned back to his antagonist, he looked to were the other was pointing and relief filled him to his very soul. He ran to suddenly revealed figure, lying face down on the cold, wet tarmac. Yami skidded to a stop and he dropped to his knees and gathered the slight figure up.

The rain had washed the gel from his from his thick tri colored hair and clung to the youth's face and leather jacket. The leather shirt and jacket were ruined, the tight black shirt looked even smaller on the boy in the half light given off by a street lamp. Yami's hands skimmed quickly over Yuugi's body, checking for broken bones and/or blood. Finding none, Yami focused on waking his hikari up.

He pushed the wet golden bangs from Yuugi's face as he cradled him close in his arms. "Yuugi," he tapped the right side of his lover's face with left hand. "Yuugi, wake up. It's Yami. Yuugi, please..."

Ryou had helped Honda to his feet and they both went over to where Bakura stood watching Yami.

Honda rubbed his sore right shoulder as he nodded at them. "How on earth did he find him?"

"The light had concealed the boy." Bakura said quietly. His dark eyes were fixed on the small, helpless boy cradled in Yami's arms.

A puzzled look crossed Ryou's face, but he did not question his yami. He and Honda moved to go aid their friend, but Bakura's arm shot out, prevented them both from going anywhere.

"Bak—"Honda started to protest. The yami looked up at the up at the taller boy, his dark eyes were filled with warning.

"The Pharaoh needs a moment to collect himself." He told them. "When he is ready for us to approach, he will let us know. But for the moment, we will stay as far away from him and his hikari as possible." He dropped his arms and turned his back on the pair sitting in the rain. "Ryou, come. You should inform the others on that little telephone that the Pharaoh has his hikari." And the world was safe for another day. Bakura drew in a sigh of relief.

Ryou glanced back at his smaller friend in the Pharaoh's arms and then he turned to follow Bakura. He stopped and looked at Honda over his shoulder and he asked, "Are you coming?"

Honda was looking at Yami and Yuugi. Yami had been trying to wake Yuugi up, but so far nothing had happened. Yami was now shaking the boy violently, he shouted Yuugi's name before he slapped his face.

Honda started forward, but stopped when he heard Yuugi draw in a deep, gasping breath.

Large, lavender eyes stared vacantly up into the yellowish light cast down by the lone street lamp. Yami peered worriedly into that sweet angelic face as he pushed the wet hair from Yuugi's face.

"Hikari, aibou." He voice gentle as the one he held unintentionally ignored him. "Speak to me."

Soft, little hands moved up to rest on his chest. He remembered everything and yet at the same time, he couldn't summon a single event from the moment he first drew his deck earlier that day. He remembered holding of cards in his hands, cutting them, playing...but with whom?

_Yami._

The hands moved towards the neck. It was tight, constricting in this garment. He couldn't breath. Too tight. So much pain. He had blacked out—hadn't he?

The hands stopped wondering. Something was wrong. He was choking again. He couldn't breath! Something was choking him and hurting him. God, what was happening to him...

"Yami." It came out like a dry wheeze.

"Yuugi," Yami said quickly. "I am right here, I am here, love."

Pain, too intense for words ripped through his body. The memory of it caused the small boy to draw up in a ball and cry.

It was an act of defiance against Atemu.

To bring hurt the Shadows.

And ruin its' king.

Atemu was the Shadows' King.

Yuugi pulled out of Yami's arms, harsh, jagged sobs tore from the boy's throat as tried to move away from the two things that could cause him even more pain.

_He had realized too late that he had been duped. But there was no escape from the game. If he lost, he suffered. If Yuugi forfeited the game then he would be tortured and if by some miracle he won, Yuugi would have still been hurt. His host had been determined to bring some harm to Yuugi no matter the outcome. _

_Yuugi had lost the duel._

_The Dark Magician had been destroyed right before his eyes and Exodia the Forbidden One never had a chance to be formed. The cards drifted slowly from his hands as Yuugi fell to the ground._

_He was defeated. He would suffer for his arrogance._

_Arrogance?_

_He did not understand. He just wanted to play..._

_His arrogance was accepting the challenge. For that he would pay._

_Yuugi said no. He was not arrogant. He was offering his hands in friendship. It was never his intention to offend anyone.... _

_He was mocked for his efforts. His explanation was thrown back in his face. Hands grabbed the sides of his head and he started into the most frightening depths of a depravity and then his was thrown to the ground. _

_Beautiful insanity danced wildly about the boy, mocking him at every turn as pain washed relentlessly over him._

_He was down on the ground, reeling from the twisted agony that he had been placed in. His puzzle had been removed from his grasp by cold hands, leaving him alone, cut off from Yami to be sucked further down in his white nightmare._

_The psychotic angel danced around him, caught up in the wild abandon she had created for herself._

_Yuugi tried to push himself up, but an invisible weight held him down on the ground. He was so cold, shivering in this brilliance that could have rivaled the winter's sun for all the heat it produced. Yuugi closed his eyes, the light was blinding him with its intensity. _

_It was then she came to him. So beautiful was this ethereal creature with her frightening mad eyes._

_She knelt over Yuugi, settling on his waist and she planted her hands down on both sides of his face. She leaned forward, her shimmering lips just a breath away from his mouth and she smiled. She lowered her lips to touch his, Yuugi jerked his face away, but she merely laughed. She pressed her lips to his cheek; her tongue darting out and she licked her way up to his hairline. _

_Yuugi tried to scream. Her touch was like fire on his skin; the wet trail she left was burning worst than acid. He thrashed about, trying to push the woman away, but she just laughed in his face._

"_Biaw," she said mockingly. "Isn't that what _He_ says to you. Biaw? How possessive of him. Claiming you as his when he never had the right to do so. However, it shall never occur again, pretty one. You now belong to me. Mine from the beginning of time."_

"_No!" Yuugi screamed. "I will never be yours."_

_She grabbed his chin in her right hand and forced him to meet her gaze. Madness danced merrily in her eyes as she lowered her lips to his. Just before she touched him, she whispered, "You are not listening to me, sweet one, you have always belonged to me." _

_A life for the light, she chanted moving down his body. Her searing touch was melting the flesh from him bones, all the while Yuugi was screaming for mercy and begging for his own death. A life for the light, she wanted to bask in it, bathe in his crimson light. _

_He was screaming in agony and terror. His body was on fire; it felt as if he was dying. He wanted to cry, she told him he could. She wanted to see his tears, but she was not going to stop. Not yet._

_The Darkness had to lose his light._

_Didn't Yuugi understand that? Why couldn't he believe it when she he was hers?_

"_He bathes in your soul." Fanatical eyes gleaming as she licked Yuugi's tears from her fingertips. "He basks in your light. But never again, my sweet one." She lowered her head to nuzzle Yuugi's chest. The boy screamed in agony. _

_Why couldn't she just kill him now?_

_Cold hands on his face on his face, she leaned down, her painful lips touching his left ear. "You are mine."_

"Yuugi." Yami reached for him, but the boy drew away from him.

It hurt to move. It hurt to breathe. His arms and legs were shaking beneath him, his entire body was trembling from the either cold, from pain, or the fear, he could not tell. Somewhere, in the deeper recesses of his mind, something urged him to get out of the light.

Yuugi responded weakly, crawling on his hands and knees until he collapsed in a dimmed lit patch of ground that was not directly in the light or completely surrounded by shadows. He lay there, gasping for breath with the rain falling steadily into his eyes and panting mouth as he sobbed out his misery.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to hide in his ojisan's arms until the pain finally went away. God, his chest hurt. Drawing a single breath was like torture. And compound with everything else that was in pain, cold fire racing all over his exhausted and beleaguered frame. Yuugi felt as if he was dying and he wished he were.

Hands were on him again. His body tensed automatically with fear, but he relaxed just as quickly when he felt the cool warmth emanating from the familiar touch. Warm hands with a slight chill moved over his freezing body, trying desperately to warm him.

Weakly, Yuugi turned his head to see a fall of gold and ruby tinged obsidian. Worried ruby eyes brought Yuugi out of his only personal hell long enough to realize that Yami it was Yami touching him. Relief rushed through the smaller youth, easing his shattered soul and bringing him back from the chasm of his despair. He tried to sit up, to be in Yami's arms and let him take away the horrors and pain that crashed against his terribly weakened spirit. As he moved a sharp slice a pain from his already overtaxed body had Yuugi crying out in agony.

"Honda," Yami shouted. He ripped off his leather trench coat and wrapped in about Yuugi's shivering body. "Flag down a taxi, a bus, anything...Just do it now. We have to get Yuugi home." He scooped Yuugi up and cradled him close. "What are you waiting for?" He yelled at the youth.

It felt as if he were being crushed. Yuugi fought against Yami until the other was forced to put him down. Yet without Yami's support, Yuugi sank bonelessly to the ground.

"Yuugi, please," Yami bent and gently helped him to his feet. "Let me help you. Please."

Yuugi nodded, he didn't have the strength to do much else. His lower body refused to co-operate with him. Red-hot pain was shooting up and down in lower back to the tips of his toes. It was a miracle that he was standing although he wasn't even walking. A slow shuffling, like an aged man would have best described what he was doing.

He had a furious grip on Yami's hands. With each step, he feared he would fall and injure his pain-ridden body more, but Yami would never let him fall.

Honda had waved down a cab. Bakura and Ryou said that they would catch the next one and they would meet them back at the Motous' shop. Bakura whispered to Honda that he was taking a risk by getting in the same car as the Pharaoh. Honda said that he could not just leave Yuugi.

It was a long drive through Domino City. Traffic was backed up for miles with people returning to town from the brief holiday. Through the long drive, Yuugi lay against Yami, gasping from pain and shivering beneath the wet coats. Water was running out of his long hair to seep down the back of his neck, chilling him. He hurt and his was uncomfortable and there was little he could do about it. All Yuugi wanted was to go home and die. He would have gladly settled for death if it meant his torture would end.

Yami held Yuugi lightly in his arms, he had tried to rub his hands over Yuugi's arms with the intent of warming him, but the boy had cried out in pain and pulled away from him.

But that wasn't the only thing that prevented Yami from touching his hikari. There was something seriously wrong with his aibou. When he had touched Yuugi's arms, he knew was happening to him. He knew every inch of Yuugi's body intimately, he knew how each limb felt by touch, the weight of his body, and texture of Yuugi's skin. Something had changed it. But until he could get Yuugi to the privacy of his room Yami could only speculate as to what had been done.

He cast his gaze down at golden puzzle that rested in his lap. It was Yuugi's Sennen Puzzle; the damned thing had been choking the boy with its weight. With it gone, Yuugi had begun to breathe a bit easier, however he was still in pain.

He stared silently at the puzzle and the one that hung suspended from his own neck, Yami was perplexed. He could sense Yuugi's puzzle and their link; he had since he saw Yuugi lying face down in that puddle of rainwater. Yet before, when he was searching, he felt nothing.

"We're here." Honda's voice broke through Yami's thoughts.

All other thoughts flew out of Yami's head when Yuugi moved against his arms. The smaller youth turned his pain filled eyes on the Kame Game Shop and he tried to sit up, but Yami took him into his arms, he was careful not to hold him too tight as he moved to get out of the back.

Honda tossed the driver a couple bills. Yami was already at the front door, when he turned to help them. Honda trotted over them just as the second cab pulled to a stop at the curb.

Bakura threw open his door before the car could come to a complete stop. Ryou had to throw the money at the driver since Bakura was dragging him out of the back of the cab. The immortal tomb robber looked quickly at Yami and then to Honda. So the mortal boy had made it there in one piece, the Pharaoh must have been more concerned about his Hikari than Bakura earlier speculated. That could only mean one thing, trouble was coming and it was coming on fast horses.

The front door was thrown open and an anxious looking Sugoroku. He and Yami exchanged a look then the elderly man stepped aside and Yami strode inside with Honda following behind him.

Ryou moved to follow them, but Bakura grabbed the youth's right arm and pulled him back.

"Yami?" The boy said his dark eyes filled with questions.

Bakura shook his head once. His usual sour face was closed off as he stared at the little gaming store.

"We are not going in there, Ryou." He said gravely.

Ryou looked up at his yami in surprise. The ominous expression on his double's face sent a shiver of fear down his spine, but Ryou was not going to be intimidated, not this time. Yuugi was his friend and he wanted to be there for him. Bakura had no right...

"I know that you want to help your friend." Bakura looked down at him, a sad smile graced his face, but he still shook head no. "Something happened to Pharaoh's hikari and whatever it was, it was bad. The Pharaoh will most likely lash out and it will not be a pleasant sight to behold. Nor a safe one."

"Of course he's going to lash out." Ryou pulled his arm out of Bakura's grasp. "He will have every right to be angry. I am angry myself." He turned away from his yami and started towards the door. "If something has happened to Yuugi..."

Bakura raised his hands in defeat. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Ryou glanced back him before he entered the shop. Bakura blew out a breath and looked up at the sky. It had stopped raining, but the heavy dark clouds blocked out the sky, promising more of the drenching down pour.

He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed bitterly.

"Bakura," Ryou called. He stood half in the shadows and the light. The effect was symbolic, but he did not know of what. With a furious shake of his head, Bakura put aside his musings and went to join his hikari. Absently, he prayed that they all made it out of the place in one piece.

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Chapter Two

In the back of his mind, Yuugi could hear her. Even as he cowered in the protective embrace of his grandfather, her demented laughter continuously played in his mind like a broken record. He wanted to banish her from his thoughts, the insane angel who claimed him as her own.

He squeezed his eyes close tight, trying to shut her out and banished her voice from his mind. He was home now he was safe. She couldn't reach him here. He was safe. He was home, he was safe, and he was...

"_He will never..."_

Pain shot through his body, Yuugi tried to fight it as he repeated the litany in his head. He was home, he was safe, and he was safe. But she would not be denied. She wanted him to suffer. The mindless cackle ripped through his head and he lost the tenuous grasp he had over his own body. Yuugi drew in a sharp breath as he grabbed his grandfather tightly.

"Yuugi," the old man winced as the boy's strong fingers dug into his shoulders.

Yuugi held onto his grandfather tightly. He was not going to let her into his head and fall back into that blinding brilliance where she lurked.

"..._You are mine."_

"Oji-san." He cried out or he tried to, but it came out like a wheezing gasp. He collapsed against his grandfather. Ice ran through his body and filled his soul. He could feel her frozen breath on the back of his neck and her icy hands caressed his face as she pulled him back into her cold embrace.

"_One body, one soul..." She touched her lips to his. "You can't fight me now. What's done..." She raised her face to smile into his eyes. "Kiss the Pharaoh... If you can, my sweet."_

Yuugi buried his face in his grandfather's chest and just clung to him. Tattered sobs poured from the boy as he cowered away from the light and cold. He started violently at a sudden pounding coming from below in the store.

Honda cast another worried look at his friend before he hurried down to open the door. Yuugi was panting again. Sugoroku could feel the erratic beating of the boy's heart from how close Yuugi clung to him. He was scared to death, which was evident by the look of pure terror that appeared on Yuugi's face when Anzu and Mai pulled him into tight embraces. Jou smiled down at his best friend when Mai and Anzu finally let the boy go for some air.

"Hey, buddy." Jou ruffled Yuugi's hair. "This is the first time I've seen you and Yami without the spiky do." Critically, Jou studied his best friend for a moment when Yuugi failed to respond to his gentle teasing. Something was off about his best bud, but for the life of him, Jou couldn't figure it out. He chose not to think about that for the moment and instead chose to focus on the fact that Yuugi had been found and he was with them were he belonged.

Yuugi shrunk away from their touches. She was here, in his house and in his mind laughing at him, gloating over her victory. Yuugi wrapped his arms about his middle as he sank to the bonelessly to the floor. He wanted to hide from everyone and everything. Why was it so cold in here? The cold was easing the pain in his body and it was now like a low throbbing. But it still hurt. God, he just wanted it all to go away.

"Ji-san." Pain shot through his tight chest. He finally figured out that what was hurting him. His shirt was too tight and his pants were cutting into his hips. "I need to..."

Yuugi felt Yami come up behind him.

"We should get you up stairs," the former Pharaoh finished his hikari's unfinished though. He moved to help him rise only to have Yuugi pulled away from him. Yami frowned at this action. Yuugi licked his dry lips nervously.

"Ah, no, that's---"his voice faltered since he could not come up with a palpable reason not to have Yami with him.

"Yuugi."

The boy looked about the small, brightly lit living room. He could feel her in everything, taunting him, promising to always be with him. She was apart of him...

_One body... _

Yuugi's hands moved to his chest.

_One body... _

He laid them flat on the lumpy rises of flesh.

_One body... _

He closed his eyes as a single tear coursed down his right cheek.

"_You are not listening to me, sweet one, you have always belonged to me." _

How could he have not understood? How could he have not known?

_"He bathes in your soul." Fanatical eyes gleaming as she licked Yuugi's tears from her fingertips. "He basks in your light. But never again, my sweet one." She lowered her head to nuzzle Yuugi's chest._

Every part of his body that she had touched with her burning kisses...

"_One body, one soul..."_

Slowly he brought his hands to his face, a harsh cry broke from his trembling lips.

"..._What's done..."_

He cried out his rage and fear. "You bitch!" He exploded.

"..._is done." She nipped his bruised lower lip before she pulled away completely._

"You twisted, psychotic bitch." He railed at the light; throwing anything he could get his hands on at every source of light in the room. "I hate you! I hate you, I fucking hate you, you miserable..." He was brought down to the floor, Yami pinned him down before Yuugi could turn his angry on himself. "I hate you," the boy sobbed, "I hate you. Miserable..."

A wide eyed from shock, Yami just held Yuugi on the carpeted floor while the boy continued to cry, wretchedly, and damn the one who did what to him? Yami was at a lost and was scared for his hikari, whom he had never seen behave like this.

Behind them, the others were slowly recovering from their shock. Yuugi had never had a display of temper that was so violent. The sweet, gentle boy they had known for the last three years had never heard a single curse word past the boy's lips. Not even when he had faced the most fearsome of competitors or had been deprived of his friends and his family had Yuugi ever lost his composure like this or try to destroy everything around him.

Yuugi laid on his back, sobbing piteously, hot tears streaked down the sides of his face reminding him of when she placed her tongue on his cheek. He felt a hand touch him and his lashed out hitting Yami in the face. The Pharaoh recoiled from his lover and Yuugi scrambled away from.

"Don't touch me!" He shrieked at Yami. "Don't ever---"Pain in his chest had him doubled over trying to catch his breath. Sugoroku cautiously approached his grandson, making sure that the boy could see his face. When Yuugi moved back, Sugoroku stopped.

"Yuugi," his tone was comforting. "I just want to help you..."

Yuugi cut him off with a violent shake of his head. "No one can help me." He looked around the room, seeing her everywhere the light touched. Would she ever leave him alone?

"Why do you say that?" His grandfather asked softly. The haunted look in his grandson's eyes was scaring him. Yuugi was crouched down like a frightened animal and he was afraid to approach him and at the same time he could not abandon him. He had to know what had happened. "Yuugi, can you tell me why I can't help?"

"Look at what she did to me!" He cried frantically. He grabbed the front of his leather shirt and tried to pull it away from his skin. "That crazy bitch! She did this to me..."

"What? Yami demanded. "What did _'She'_ do?" _Moreover, who was she?_

"She did this to get back at Yami!" Yuugi was still ranting. "She came after me, tricked me, and then she did this," he grabbed the front of his shirt to emphasize, "She did this...She made this happen, just to hurt Yami." His energy was spent. Yuugi collapsed on his to his knees, his arms sliding around his trembling body, trying to hold himself together.

"_She did this to get back at Yami!"_ The dark young man was staring at his counterpart with a look close to fear on his face. _"...just to hurt Yami."_ Someone had hurt his light just to cause offense towards him.

"..._just to hurt Yami."_

The former Pharaoh of Kemet slowly walked over to his beloved and he knelt before huddling little one.

Shadows surrounded him. The comforting shadows and darkness. But the shadows were why he was in pain, his mind reasoned. The shadows hurt more than the light.

Yuugi jumped when he felt warm hands touch his face. The warmth chased away the last of her freezing touch but it could undo what she had done. Nothing would.

_Hikari_

The fear slowly receded from Yuugi's eyes, bringing the young man back to himself. As the confusion gave way, truth filtered through Yuugi's mind. God, he wanted to deny it. He wanted Yami to tell him that it was all a bad dream, that nothing had happened, that he was the same... A heart-rending wail escaped his lips, Yuugi collapsed in on himself again as it all washed over him.

Yami looked worriedly to Sugoroku as Yuugi withdrew further from him and sank deeper in his agony. It was killing Yami to watch his light huddle against the wall, as if he trying to hide. Yuugi drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms about them before lowering his head to rest on his knees. Small, slender fingers peaked out of the sleeve of his coat quickly before he let out agonized gasped. He let go of his legs and grabbed his chest; his face was tight as he fought against the ache in his chest. He had to get to upstairs to his rooms, he could not let them know, not yet_ /...Yami.../_

_Hikari._

Yuugi froze.

_Hikari, please tell me what is going on with you?_

He felt Yami's warm, commanding presence in his mind. And he felt her, shadows moved in around him, pushing away the insidious radiance with little resistance. But why should she resist?

_Cold hands touched the back of Yuugi's neck and then moved down as hard, slender arms rested over his shoulders. Her icy breath wafted over his left ear as she laughed softly._

"_What can the Shadow King do to me now?" She was amused by his stubborn silence. Her arms moved to wrap about his shoulders as she lowered her face into his neck, her lips skimmed the surface and the boy whimpered, thankfully there was no more pain from her touch, it had been replaced by revulsion. _

_She laughed at his contempt of herself as she moved up to nip at his ear lobe. "What's done is done, sweet one." She said in singsong manner. She turned her face to look at Yami, her left hand holding Yuugi's chin, forcing him to look at the powerful Pharaoh and she laughed. "He cannot undo what I have done..."_

"Shut up." Yuugi said through clenched teeth.

Yami blinked at the vehemence in his hikari's voice. The boy was staring at him with naked hatred and contempt in his lavender eyes.

"Get out of my head, you sadistic bitch." Yuugi said savagely.

Yami went to his knees. A look of horror crossed his face as Yami stared down at his love. _Yuugi..._

"Yuugi," Sugoroku touched Yami's shoulder before he rushed to his grandson.

_She kissed the corner of his mouth. "I am will be with you always."_

Hot tears streaked down his face as he pulled his legs closer to his chest. "I hate you..." He choked out. "I hate you...Crazy bitch! Rot in hell, you sick, twisted, perverted---"

Pain shot through his back and chest, but he ignored it. She was laughing in his head, the shadows were leaving him even as she receded into nothingness. With a final parting shot at Yami, she left Yuugi blissfully alone. Nevertheless, what was done was done?

He needed to know what she had done to him. He had to see if what he feared was true...

A sharp pain across his chest drew Yuugi out of his fears. He reached up timidly and touched his right hand to his chest and he closed his eyes as terror settled heavily over him.

"Anzu," he said weakly. "Anzu, I need your help."

Bakura was at Yami's side immediately. "He calls for another." Yami said listlessly. "He cursed me and calls for another..."

"Pharaoh," the former tomb robber said sharply as he pulled the other man to his feet.

Fearfully, Anzu stepped around the wide-eyed Yami and carefully approached the weeping Yuugi. In the background, she heard the recently entered Seto Kaiba smirking. Why did Honda let that smug face SOB into the Motous' house, she would never know? Yet at that moment, she prayed that he kept his mouth shut and left Yami alone. Yami was at the teetering on the deep end and anything was liable to set him off.

Anzu knelt beside her friend and before she could blink, Yuugi had his arms about her neck and he was crying against her shoulder. "I'm so scared." He tightened his hold about her. "She's done something to me. I'm so scared, I'm scared to find out."

Anzu rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. "It's alright, Yuugi," she pushed the long black and gold hair away from Yuugi's hot face with her free hand. "You have nothing to be afraid of. We are all here for you, all your friends, your ojisan, and Yami..."

At his name, Yuugi pulled back from Anzu. He looked up, right into Yami's glazed over crimson eyes and his heart shattered.

_It was an act of defiance against Atemu. _

_To bring hurt the Shadows._

_And ruin its' king._

_Atemu was the Shadows' King._

For a long moment, they just watched each other. Yuugi looked so lost and vulnerable, Yami was cold and dangerous.

Did he know? Yuugi wondered as he searched Yami's expression. Had he seen her or heard her taunts? Yuugi started to bring a hand to his heart and stopped the motion halfway.

"Yuugi?" Anzu's voice flittered through the boy's fear numbed mind. She gently touched the two large misshaped protrusions on the boy's chest. "God, are you alright?" She cried in alarm. "What happened to your..."

Yuugi looked down to where she running her hands over him, he fell back from her touch with a choked cry. He wrapped his shaking hands cross his chest. "I need to go to my room." He said quickly. "Anzu, help me..." He looked back at Yami; Bakura had a tight grip on both his arms, like he was restraining him, but that would not be enough. Nothing would stop Yami if he wanted to get to Yuugi. Nothing.

Anzu turned around slightly, "Jou, Honda—"

"No," Yuugi cried desperately. He grabbed her right hand, clinging to it. "No, please. Just you, okay? Please, just you. Please."

Anzu looked into Yuugi's eyes and saw the fear and terror in them. She nodded. "Alright, Yuugi..."

_/Yami/_ he cast the though to his lover as he leaned heavily against Anzu as she helped him from the living room. _/I'm sorry./_ Yuugi finished the though. Slowly, almost painfully, Yuugi mounted the few steps that led to the second floor of his home. Almost limping, Yuugi made it to his bedroom door, Anzu pushed the door open and half carried, and drug Yuugi inside and then she closed the door.

The quiet in the living room was unbearable.

Yami had watched his beloved leave the room without so much as a word. Sugoroku sighed heavily and then walked out of the room, heading for the kitchen. He hand seen his grandson's hands and held him enough over the years to have noticed what had scared the boy so much. He himself was frightened as well. How on earth were they going to cope with this? How could this have happened?

The old man pulled out on of the heavy vinyl covered chairs at their kitchen table and he sat down heavily. Two ponderous tears rolled down his face when he heard Anzu cry out "_God, Yuugi! Oh, God_..."

There was crash from inside the living room. Sugoroku heard Bakura cry out "Pharaoh!" while his counterpart called out to him. He heard that arrogant Kaiba boy say something to Yami, there was the sound of flesh hitting flesh and someone knocked over something else and then there was the sound of feet pounding on the stairs briefly, a short pause and then pounding on a door, most likely Yuugi's and then Yami was yelling.

Sugoroku wiped away his tears; he drew in a deep breath as he lifted his large bulk from the table. He slowly released it as went to the door. He glanced at his living room, an end table was over turned, and a lamp that Yuugi had missed during his rampage now lay on the floor broken. Beside it, Bakura sat on the floor holding a hand to his right eye as his hikari dabbed at his bleeding lip. Bakura growled and pulled away from the youth's ministrations. A few pictures were knocked off the wall and Seto Kaiba was leaning against his brother. Kaiba's nose was bleeding and was quickly turning purple.

Sugoroku stepped past the two brothers and came to a stop at the foot of the stairs that were Jou and Honda stood with Mai. Yami was on the landing hammering on the door, his crimson eyes were a blazed with fear and rage as he ordered Yuugi to open the door.

Sugoroku pushed past the three frightened teenagers and cautiously approached the angry Pharaoh.

Punch, kick, and snap a command. Yami was trying desperately to give Yuugi a choice before he took over and stormed into the room and beat the truth out his lover.

"Damn it, Yami," Anzu shouted from the other side. "Just go away! You're just making things worst."

Yami kicked the door viciously and then slammed his left fist into it so hard the door shook on its hinges.

"Open this door willingly, Yuugi, or I will break it down." Yami barked as he kicked the door. "Either way," he punched it and the wood cracked, "I am coming in."

Inside the room, Anzu looked worriedly at Yuugi. He huddled in the corner of his bed presenting his bare back to Anzu. His blue plaid boxers hung off his curved hips, his long hair fell over his shoulders as sat there staring into nothing. Silent tears made there way down his pale face. He was tired of crying, his was tired of sitting up. He was tired, dirty, and he was sick to death of listening to Yami beating the hell out that door.

Yuugi stood up, wiping at his wet face with one hand as he struggled into his robe. He heard Anzu move away from the door; he glanced back at over his right shoulder and saw that the girl was trying to barricade the door with his nightstand. Yami was still making his threats; he must have been scared out of his mind by now, Yuugi reasoned, otherwise Yami would have never allowed such a display from himself.

Yuugi pulled his robe close and tied it shut. He wasn't ready to face Yami yet. He lay back down on the bed and drew himself into a ball, clutching a pillow to his chest. It was selfish of him, but Yuugi wanted to hold onto Yami just a bit longer. Numbness has settled over him now. The pain was gone, Yuugi though idly. He glanced down in at body and closed his eyes tight. When he woke up everything would all right.

Punch, kick, and _"Open the damn door!"_ Yami bellowed.

Yuugi pulled the comforter higher until all Anzu could see was black hair interspersed with golden strains.

"Tell him, I'm alright." He said quietly. His voice was raw from all the screaming he had done. "Just don't let him."

A worried frown crossed Anzu's face. Behind her the door popped, as one of the hinges lost it's support.

Yuugi ignored the commands and tried to fall asleep.

"Yuugi," Yami fell against the door, tired but not defeated. He was going to get inside and discover what was wrong with his Yuugi. _Hikari, let me in._

Anzu nodded. "I won't." She promised. Nevertheless, he was going to find out sometime.

Yuugi said nothing. He only wanted to sleep.

"What else are friends good for if not protecting you from your homicidal boyfriend?" Anzu started towards him but another loud thump made the door jump and two screws fell to the floor. She looked worriedly to Yuugi.

"_Yuugi!"_ Yami roared.

It was now or never, the girl though wearily. She just hoped that Yami would be reasonable and not force the issue. Anzu pushed aside the chair she had put in front of the bedroom door and pulled it open. Yami stood there, looking wild eyed and savage with his right fist raised and a murderous gleam in his blood coloured eyes. She squeaked. Yami dropped his raised hand and looked back over at her head into the room but did not see Yuugi immediately. A movement on the bed caught his attention, Yami started to step past Anzu, but to his surprise, she pushed him back. He looked down at the blue-eyed girl who dared to defy him.

"What do you think you are doing?" He growled.

This was not a side of Yami Anzu wanted to witness. This was the Pharaoh of Kemet and the undefeated King of Games looking down at one he _knew _was beneath him. He could crush with a single though and it chilled Anzu to her very core as those hard, ruby eyes stared contemptuously down on her. In spite the fear she felt for her own life at that moment, Anzu was going to stay strong for Yuugi's sake. "Yuugi's in the—"

Yami's eyes became even colder. "Move."

Against her better judgment, Anzu stood her ground. "No." She raised her chin in defiance.

And that was her last mistake.

The shining eye of Horus appeared on Yami's brow and he started to raise his right hand.

_/...Yami.../ _

He turned his attention away from the girl before him and reached out to his hikari. _Yuugi--_

/..._please_.../ the boy was crying, that he did not know he was calling out to his other.

Without a though, Yami shoved Anzu out of the way and strode quickly to the bed. He ripped off the covers and pulled the trembling youth into his arms. Yuugi realized too late what was going on. He pushed against Yami chest, frantic to get away from the crushing embrace. But the darker youth was not having that. Yami held Yami tighter.

_/Yami, please./_ Yuugi pleaded.

_What is wrong?_ Yami demanded, _Why are you fighting against me?_

Yuugi's used his trapped arms to push away. He turned around in Yami's arms and tried to crawl out of Yami's lap only to be pinned down on the bed.

Yami eyes went straight down to his light's heaving chest and then moved further down his body before coming back to rest on the beautiful, tear-stained face of his beloved.

Cold fear wrapped itself clammy hands about the Pharaoh's heart as he gently yet forcibly pulled Yuugi's hands from across his shoulder.

_/No, Yami!/_ his screamed into Yami's mind. _/Please, don't.../_

But Yami ignored his cries. He pushed back Yuugi's left arm, the smaller youth grabbed the collar of his robe and again tried to escape.

"Yami, don't, please don't do this!" Yuugi sobbed brokenly. /_Please, don't do this. I love you./_ "Yami, stop. God, stop!"

Yami roughly pulled Yuugi's hand aside and threw the material aside.

Anzu turned her face away and clamped a hand over her mouth to hold back her own sobs.

Downstairs, Bakura turned his sharp eyes onto the staircase. It was quiet and that fact disturbed the spirit of the ring swore virulently.

"What the hell is going on up there?" Honda wondered out loud.

Ryou could feel the disquiet that was upsetting his Yami. Slowly, almost frighten by the strange stillness that settled on the upper floors of the Motou home, Ryou moved away from the stairs, seeking the protection of his own Yami.

"I don't like this." Jou ground out.

Kaiba spat out his broken crown, his cold blue eyes were fixed on the open door above. The dead man was going to pay for this.

"Ryou," Bakura grasped his hikari's arm, "This time, we are leaving."

Ryou did not protest and he let his yami pull him out of the Motou's house without a word to his friends.

"Seto, I think we should go home as well." Mokuba said, his eyes darted back towards his friend's room when he heard another scream from Yuugi.

Anzu had managed to pull herself together and rushed to Yuugi's side. He had collapsed on his side, hot tears streaming unchecked down his face as he wailed piteously. She ignored the transfixed Yami as she sat down beside Yuugi and half pulled him into her arms.

"Shh," she said soothingly as she rocked the crying young man. "Shh, Yuugi."

Behind her, the weight shifted on the bed. Heavy boots hit the carpeted floor with a muffled thump. It took some effort, but Anzu managed to get Yuugi off the bed and into the shower.

Yami sat there, listening as his hikari cried in his soul for him, but he could go to him. He could not stand to look at him, not...not like this.

"_She did this to get back at Yami!" Yuugi was still ranting. "She came after me, tricked me, and then she did this," he grabbed the front of his shirt to emphasize, "She did this...She made this happen, just to hurt Yami."_

He dropped his arms on his tights and lowered his face into his hands.

_/...please, don't leave me.../_ Yuugi begging, pleading with him.

Yami silently pulled up the mental wall between them to stop the pathetic cries in his head. He needed some time to himself, he needed to think, but his mind and heart could not focus on anything other than the pain welling up inside him.

Sugoroku came up an hour later. The water in the shower had long since stopped, but Yuugi's crying had not. Yami had moved to far corner in Yuugi's room and remained there. He could make himself go to Yuugi, but he could not leave him either.

Sugoroku placed a tray on the nightstand and he brought a cup of tea over to Yami. When the young man did not move to accept it, Sugoroku set the steaming mug down beside him.

He glanced at the closed bathroom door, tears glimmered in his faded violet eyes, but he ruthlessly scrubbed them away. Sugoroku told himself that he had to be strong. Besides, this could not be permanent. This just had to be a trick or an illusion that was going to fade overnight. Which he hoped was true for Yuugi's sake.

Sugoroku glanced down at the Pharaoh again. Hard ruby eyes stared out impassive mask. Yami was unreadable when he chose to be and frightening when he was upset. So far, Yami had remained in control of his emotions, but after four years of living with the dark one, Sugoroku knew that young man's control had a tenuous grasp, especially when it came to Yuugi. Yuugi was the focus of Yami's life and he made damned sure that he became the focus of Yuugi's. Sugoroku could only hope that they made it through this night.

A few minutes after Sugoroku left, Anzu emerged from the bath, with her arms around the trembling Yuugi. She had helped him dress, heavy flannel pajamas and a tee shirt to warm his chilled body and thick woolen socks for his delicate feet. She had brushed out his freshly washed hair and pulled it back into a stark ponytail that Yuugi always slept in. When it was all done, she helped him into bed and then she climbed in beside him after she turned off the light.

Yami stayed partially hidden in the shadows, the darkness wrapped about him as if to comfort him. He watched Anzu comfort Yuugi as best as she could. Yuugi lay in a fetal position, his voice was hoarse and cracking from all the screaming and crying he had done. Anzu had her arms about him, rocking Yuugi as she whispered nonsense to him in the hopes of getting him to quiet down. An hour then another of silence after Yuugi had finally fallen into a fitful sleep in Anzu's protective embrace. Yami let another passed waiting for Anzu to finally surrender to her exhausted body's demand for sleep. Only when he was sure that the pair on the bed were truly asleep did Yami ventured out of his corner. On quiet feet, Yami approached the bed and for a long moment, he watched his beloved sleep. He had never seen Yuugi so worn. His face was drawn, the skin seemed so very tight over his cheek bones and there were lines exhaustion about his mouth, brow, and eyes. Dark circles were under his eyes and shown against Yuugi's fragile complexion. It should have been a sin to ruin such an unspoiled countenance. Neither hurt nor sadness belonged on his exquisite façade.

Effortlessly, Yami sank to his knees beside Yuugi's sleeping face. Long, dark lashes brushed the elegantly molded cheekbones that had always looked more feminine that masculine once Yuugi lost the remainder of his baby fat. Everything feature on his face was sharper, more defined yet instead of becoming hard, Yuugi was soft, the complete opposite of his protector and lover, except in one.

Yami touched the tip of his beloved's smooth chin. He had traced a line from Yuugi's small, shell like ear to the point beneath his full mouth with his index finger.

"How can the gods improve upon such perfection?" He asked softly as he brushed a few golden strain away from Yuugi's brow. "Why would any in this world want to harm you, the most treasured of all the angels?" Tears filled his crimson eyes as he looked down at the rest of Yuugi's body that was hidden beneath the heavy down comforter. "How can I remedy this?" He asked himself. _Yuugi._ He leaned forward and brushed his lips over his love's. _I will discover the identity of whomever did this to you and I will make them pay. I swear it._

Yami drifted off a short time after that. He fell asleep on the floor besides Yuugi, since Anzu occupied his space in Yuugi's bed nor did he have the will to seek the comforts of his own. Yami had not been asleep long before he awoke to screaming.

Anzu fell back against the headboard with a thud as a hysterical Yuugi pushed her away.

"No," the black haired duelist screamed in denial even as he crawled out of bed. He grasped the front of his pajama top and pulled it open. Buttons popped off and bounced around the floor unnoticed by the desperate youth as he rushed over to the full-length cheval mirror next to his closet.

"Yuugi," Anzu had pushed off the covers and hurried after him. She came to a stop behind him and watched as the achingly beautiful face in the mirror crumbled up. Small, elegant hands clutched the front of the tee shirt as the girl in the mirror tried to maul her perfect face.

"Yuugi, no!" Anzu cried as she fought to keep her friend from scratching his own face. "Please, don't do this to yourself..."

Yuugi easily pushed Anzu off. He raced to his desk and snatched up a pair of scissors or he tried to only to have knocked aside. Anzu tackled Yuugi to the floor. Years of dancing and intense practices had made Anzu a lot stronger than she looked. And at 5'6 she had an advantage of height and reach over the 5'4 ½ foot Yuugi.

Anzu wrestled Yuugi to the floor and then she sat on his stomach to keep him from bucking her off as held his smaller, dainty wrists with one hand over his head. With her free hand Anzu manage to toss the scissors under the bed.

"Get off me." Yuugi yelled at her. "Damn it, Anzu, you can't stop me from killing her!"

"You're trying to kill yourself, _baka_." She slapped him hard, hoping to knock some sense into him. "God, Yuugi, calm down."

Tears of horror and rage shown in his lavender eyes as Yuugi tried to regain some control over his emotions. Anzu watched the emotions play over Yuugi's face before the youth broke out with loud, tearing sob.

"Oh, God, Anzu, what am I going to do?" He cried achingly.

And her heart broke along with his. Anzu let go of Yuugi's arms and the next second the boy had his arms around her, hugging her close as his cried against her shoulder. Anzu lay on top of him, whispering soft, meaningless words into his ear in the hopes of getting him to calm down only to have the opposite effect.

Yuugi shoved her off and rolled onto his side. "I can't live this way," he chocked out. "I'm a guy, Anzu. _A man!_ There is just no way..." He pulled his legs to his chest; a harsh sob tore from his lips. "I-I'm a m-man. I can-n't be any-thing else..._I just can't_!"

"Yuugi." Anzu crawled over to him and pressed her face against his back. And just let him cry.

Yami had watched the entire thing in silence. Not once since Yuugi's collapsed had he dared to move or say a word.

"What am I going to _do_, Anzu?" the youth demanded. "What the hell am I supposed to do, now?"

Anzu had no answers. She was just as lost and confused as her friend. A movement in the mirror caught her eye, Anzu watched Yami who was watching the red-faced, crying figure in the glass. He said nothing and neither did she; she ignored the selfish Pharaoh and focused on Yuugi. The girl just tightened her arms about Yuugi's heaving shoulders and buried her face in his soft, tri-coloured hair and let him cry.

Yami closed off his link to his light a final time. The suffering was too great on both ends and he could no longer bear the strain. He left Yuugi alone, although his lover was calling out to him, begging him to come to him. He needed him. Yami looked away from the sight.

A loud, keening wail escaped Yuugi when the last mental block went up and Yami cut him off.

_/Yami. /_ He screamed in the prison that was his soul room. _/Yami, please, God—don't leave me! /_

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**


	3. Chapter Three

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Chapter Three

The shop was quiet. The apartment above, more so.

Sugoroku had opened the store late the following day but wound up closing early. Yuugi was still sleeping, this time because of a couple sleeping pills that Sugoroku had to force down his throat when the boy woke up screaming again. He hated doing that his grandson, but Sugoroku did not know what else he could do. He could not take Yuugi to the hospital. What would he say? "Yesterday my grandson went out and came back a girl?" That would go over well and both he and Yuugi would be in the psychiatric ward.

For now, all he would do was handle this situation as best as he could by taking care of you Yuugi and praying that somehow Yuugi would survive this.

Yuugi stirred in his sleeping, whimpering, and moaning as he fought against the demons in the dreams and the effects of the sleeping pill. He called for Yami repeatedly, but the Pharaoh never came. He remained hidden in the far corner of Yuugi's room, with his legs drawn to his chest and his arms locked about them hiding his face against his knees.

Sugoroku had tried to coax the dark youth out of the room when it became obvious that he was not going to Yuugi's side. He reminded him that he had classes that morning at the university but Yami did not bulge. Yami blew off a photo shoot for a gaming magazine, leaving Sugoroku to deal with an angry publicist, a disgruntle sponsor as well as a fuming photographer. The first two did not have to remind the aged Motou about the next tournament Yami was signed up for. Fans of the duelist had been pouring in the store for weeks wanting autographs and wanting to talk about the second biggest duel in Duel Monsters outside of the annual Duelist Kingdom tournament as they tried to mimic Yami's deck.

Was it really just two days ago when Yuugi and Yami were planning for Yami's trip to New York to participate in the American dueling tournament? Yuugi was to accompany Yami and both had been excited at the prospect of being in the American city for a complete weekend alone.

The years before, Sugoroku had accompanied the pair to all the international tournaments they had been invited to that were held around the world before Yuugi had retired and when it was just Yami dueling. He was a little skeptical about letting the two go without him this time, but Yami had brought up the point that he and Yuugi were both responsible adults who knew how to take care of themselves and each other. It was that 'adults' part that gotten to back off Sugoroku. Yuugi was seventeen and senior in high school and Yami looked a few years older and was a fourth year university student. It also brought forth a reality that he had been trying to avoid since the day Yuugi and Yami announced that they were a couple. His grandson would soon be leaving him to start his life with Yami.

It had hurt when he realized that Yuugi no longer needed him to take care of him. In fact, it surprised Sugoroku when he realized that Yuugi seemed to be taking care of him. Yuugi made sure that he went to doctors, he maintained his schedule, picked up whatever medications Sugoroku needed. He had even taken over the housework. Yami paid for a woman to come by three times a week to clean the house and what was done in between either Yuugi or Yami would do. Yami drew the line at cooking which was fine with Yuugi who discovered he had a small talent for it and other things around the house. Sugoroku never even thought about this or who the two young men seemed to live with him until that night.

Sugoroku had come to realize that it was he who now dependent on them. Initially, it was a shock and he was slow to accept it. Yuugi had become a handsome, responsible, and well-bred young man right in front of his eyes and Sugoroku had been blind to it all. He refused to see the taller, handsome youth with quick, keen wit and the sharp yet whimsical smile that his little Yuugi had grown up to be.

Sugoroku looked about his grandson's bedroom with a sad smile. All the toys were gone, the games and puzzles had been carted up to attic, and everything from his childhood had been put away along with the Yuugi Sugoroku had knew. On wall above Yuugi's bed was a print of Big Ben in London. The wall over his desk had a replica of Casablanca movie poster. On the desk were a closed notebook computer, Yuugi's schoolbooks, and a printer. A stereo system sat in on a table beside the desk with the CDs stacked neatly beside it. And a pair of headphone hung off the back of the desk chair. The bookcase on the far was crammed with books on every shelf and had ferns growing wildly around the sides and framing the single window of the room. Yuugi had a lot of ferns and a few other desert plants scattered about the room. He had even changed his bed. He had given up his nice little twin bed for a larger, roomer full size sleight bed that could have accommodated three people easily. And on the nightstand hidden behind two framed photographs (one of himself and a much younger Yuugi. The other was of Yuugi and Yami taken sometime that summer on their trip to Fiji.) were three un-open condom packets and a tube of lubricate. Sugoroku quickly pulled his eyes and mind away from those things.

He knew his grandson was no longer a virgin and accepted that his lover lived with them, but that did not mean he was completely comfortable with it. Still, it left a little ache in Sugoroku's heart because he knew he was no longer first in Yuugi's love. Yami wasn't the single cause of this, he was just a part of the whole complexity of Yuugi steps into adulthood.

There was not much of the messy, merry little boy who had once lived in this room. There was a strong, confident young man who although had seen the worst of humanities yet still believed that was some good in the rest of the world. A youth in the first flushes of adulthood who would continue to grow and demanded the same of those who were around him just by believing and accepting all for themselves.

Yuugi had a way about him, a regal air that was never haughty or condescending. It was proud, yes, by never vain. It was in the way he carried himself, his gestures and open manners that drew people to him. This was what made him a perfect match to Yami whose personality was the complete opposite of Yuugi but he was no less magnetic.

Both young men drew all attention with their physical beauty. But what Yami took away, Yuugi would give back and it brought others further into their circle of influence. Yuugi knew more people than he know four years ago. People were drawn to him and Yami and they stayed because Yuugi would reach out to others. He believed in them this would give them the a purpose, a will to want to be better than they ever dreamed possible.

Yuugi had the making of a great man. Sugoroku had always felt that way and over the last few weeks he had been very certain of that. Yuugi and Yami would go very far in this world and with each other. The young man who slept in this room no longer needed anyone, not even his grandfather to hold his hand or comfort him.

At least that was what he believed until last night.

_Yuugi drew in a sharp breath as he grabbed his grandfather tightly. _

"_Yuugi," the old man winced as the boy's strong fingers dug into his shoulders._

_Yuugi held onto his grandfather tightly. _

"_Oji-san." He cried out or he tried to, but it came out like a wheezing gasp. He collapsed against his grandfather._

_Yuugi buried his face in his grandfather's chest and just clung to him. Tattered sobs poured from the boy. He started violently at a sudden pounding coming from below in the store._

"What happened, Yuugi?" He heard himself ask. "You have never intentionally hurt another soul in you life. Why did _this_ have to happen to you?" _And not Yami?_ He thought grimly.

"_You should try to get along with Yami, Ji-san." A then fifteen-year-old Yuugi stood in the middle of their kitchen defending the young Pharaoh who had just been given his own body. "He's not a bad guy. He's one of my best friends and he cares about me."_

_Sugoroku knew just had the Pharaoh cared about Yuugi. He the dark spirit had already come to terms about this, but it would be no easy peace as long as Yami wanted Yuugi._

_Still he held his tongue and let his unsuspecting grandson continue to extol Yami's virtues. Sugoroku even promised in the end to try to be kinder to Yami and help him adjust to this new world. He only prayed that Yuugi would seen through Yami's many masks to what rested beneath._

"Yami..."

How he wished that Yuugi would wake up, flash him that now familiar impish grin and just be his Yuugi again. He had to be strong, for Yuugi's sake and him own. He had to be strong,

Yuugi turned away from his touch, reaching out for the one who was not there. "Yami." He murmured.

This had to be a nightmare. It just had to be. Yami had been repeating the same litany for hours. His hikari had not been changed by sadistic enemy that he was unaware of. His hikari was fine, Yuugi was fine, and there was no one out there who wanted to harm either of them.

_/Yami.../_

He looked up at the person thrashing about on the bed and quickly tore his eyes away. That was _not_ Yuugi! He _refused_ to believe that this—this _female _was his light. He would never believe it. He—he could not...

Shame washed over him as Yuugi again called for him aloud and through their bond.

"_She did this...She made this happen, just to hurt Yami."_

_/...please, don't leave me.../_ _Yuugi begged, pleading with him._

How could he not leave? But how could he stay?

The need to touch Yuugi was so bad that it was slowly driving Yami insane. Not since he gained his own body had Yami denied himself the luxury of holding his beloved. He recalled Yuugi's reaction when Yami had first called him that in Japanese when he had been doing so for months in his native tongue. The boy had been flustered, blushing and stuttering as Yami stalked him. He bumped into a tree and realized that he had run out ways of escaping, but then Yami never intended to let Yuugi go in the first place.

He had claimed the boy on sight a year before and Yami had tolerated others being around his possession, touching Yuugi and looking at him until Yami came to posses his own body. After that, anyone who came within a meter of Yuugi was too close. Everyone but Sugoroku, but those first few months between the senior Motou and the former Pharaoh of Kemet were some of the most fearsome.

Sugoroku, despite his easy nature was a hard and strong-will man and did not wear the same blinders that had clamped onto his grandson. He knew what Yami was about the first time he laid eyes on Yami's fleshy form. He had warned Yami away from Yuugi, saying in no uncertain terms, if Yami wanted Yuugi, he was going to have to fight Sugoroku for him.

Neither the Tomb Robber filth nor that libertine Marik had nothing on Sugoroku Motou when it came to intimation or righteous zeal. The old man had done everything he could short of killing Yami to keep him claiming what was rightfully his. But Yami had been determined to posses Yuugi completely and he would not be denied. He had lied to Yuugi's face and played along with him saying that shit about he and Yuugi being best friends right up until that moment he and Yuugi took that little walk in the woods.

Yami had taken Yuugi's first kiss and innocence that afternoon and proceeded to take the boy completely and made him his. He did not stop in his relentless campaign until Yuugi understood and accepted that he belonged to Yami completely and only to Yami. Yuugi wore a ring on his hand that showed Yami's ownership of him. He did not allow anyone other Yami or Sugoroku to touch him, except for last night when he was reunited with his friends. He was the property of the Pharaoh, his mate, his 'possession', his. And now he was unwanted.

Yami turned his face away as Sugoroku eased Yuugi into a sitting position and tilted his head back enough to pour some water into Yuugi's parched lips.

"..._Yami, Pharaoh, or whatever your name is..."_

"_My name is Atemu, however, I would have you refer to me as Yami." _

_Sugoroku eyes narrowed at the impertinent tone. "Demon." He said coldly. Yami only smirked. "You will do well to listen to me, for I will only say this once. I don't want you involved with my grandson. He is a gentle, innocent boy."_

"_He's not innocent anymore."_

_It took an effort, but Sugoroku managed not to reply to that dig and he went on with what he needed to say before he strangled the smirking youth who was draped over his easy chair. "Yuugi is very trusting, his faith in people borders on being naïve..."_

"_Yes, I know," Yami said breezily. "Too many bastards out there would take advantage of someone as sweet and as trusting as my koishii."_

"_People like yourself you mean?" _

"_I can't take advantage of what is already mine." Yami said crisply. "I was referring to his little band of 'friends'."_

_ "You admit that you want to isolate Yuugi."_

_ "I was never one for sharing." _

_ "Yuugi is not your property, he is his own person..." Sugoroku nearly choked on his rage._

_ "Which was never true since we share a soul..." the dark spirit shot back._

"Which_ is why I don't want you with him." the old man yelled at him. He and the ruby eyed youth glared at each other. Yami's face was a sharp mask of controlled rage, Sugoroku was trembling with fury. With an effort, Sugoroku managed to regain some control over his emotions. He stalked into kitchen for a bottle of water and came back with two. He tossed one to Yami, who snagged the bottle aimed at his face from the air. Sugoroku eased his stocky little body down on the couch and opened this drink._

"_Spirit," he began after taking a long sip. "For Yuugi's sake, you and I will have to come to an understanding. I don't want you with my grandson. You are too old for him, not just because of your ages, it is also your mental level. You are also a deceiver. You are not the kind hearted façade that you present to Yuugi. You are cold, cruel, and malicious. Yuugi would not a chance if you were to ever turn on him."_

_Yami laughed, "If that is your only then you should put it aside. I will never betray Yuugi's trust or his affection. Yuugi's happiness and well-being are my only concerns." Yami confessed, then he added. "I love Yuugi. I love him with every ounce of my being, I would never do anything to hurt him."_

"_I don't doubt you sincerity now, but what about later? You have a second chance at life, Yami. What will you do when you grow tried of Yuugi? What if he wants to move on? You two are only children. What you have now can't last forever..."_

"_This will last forever." He swore. "Yuugi is mine. I will never let him go."_

"_And if he wants to leave you?"_

"_He will never leave me. He is mine."_

Yami had left his corner once Sugoroku had left, to stand vigil at his beloved side. He stared down at the perfect little face and his heart constricted. Hot tears stung the back of his eyes, but Yami would not let them fall.

"I can't stand to see you like this. But I can't let you go." He reached out and brushed a strain of simmering gold silk from Yuugi's wet brow. _Hikari._

_/Yami?/_ it was the first though that drifted through Yuugi's consciousness as he slowly came awake. He could not sense his other half, their mental wall was up. Yami only did that when he was in classes or studying and did not want to be disturbed.

Classes?

He turned his head to see the clock on his nightstand and groaned. It was two-thirty in the afternoon and he had missed a full day of school. Why hadn't anyone woken him up? He had spent all of Saturday reviewing for a chemistry test and he had to turn a paper for his advance placement Japanese Literature class. What? Was the entire world out to get him or something?

Yuugi made to sit up and froze when something moved on his chest. He looked down and his large eyes widen and his hands flew to the two large fleshy globes on his chest. He sucked in a sharp breath as he watched the two mounds move, flatten and spreading out like two smashed jelly doughnuts when he laid back against his cold, damp pillow. And it all came back to him. The duel, the psychotic angel, the pain, Yami finding him, Yuugi seeing what was done to him, his breakdown, and then Yami pulling away from him. Everything. Sudden tears stung at the backs of Yuugi's eyes, he was too exhausted mentally to keep them at bay, but he was sick of them already. He was tired of this, of this body with all it's different curves and shapes.

Tentatively, Yuugi reached up with his right hand and poked the right one. It moved and to his horror, he realized that it was really attached to his chest. Slowly, Yuugi let his hand fall back to bed and he closed his eyes when his left hand closed around the sheet between his legs.

He and Anzu had stood before the mirror in the bathroom last night looking at the changes as she tended to the welts and raw patches on his skin. He stood there silent and unseeing for the most part and did not come out of his stupor until he was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet while Anzu gently combed the tangles from his wet hair. She commented on how beautiful Yuugi looked and that he was lucky that he did not look like a scarecrow like herself. She looked pointedly down at her own chest and then at Yuugi's as she said that ballet had taken away all her femininity. She smiled at the ethereal beauty in the mirror with Yuugi's tri-coloured hair. Joking seemed like the least appropriate thing to have done at the moment, but then what else could she have said or done? He knew Anzu was trying desperately not to breakdown herself. He didn't want her to start crying, it was bad enough that he had been crying and to his shame he was still doing it.

Anzu had done the best she could to help him that night and he appreciated her efforts. Yuugi had been in a shocked daze since the moment Yami pulled his robe open and stared down at Yuugi's altered form. It had been Anzu that half carried/ dragged Yuugi into the bathroom when he could not support himself. She had bathed his body, taking extra care around the welts and bruises on his back and chest. She had even washed the grime from Yuugi's hair and dried him off and dressed him when sat motionless lost in his own world of lose and hurt. Anzu took care of him and held him when he desperately needed someone to be there for him. She held him, told him that everything would alright. Yuugi know he had hurt her. He had pushed Anzu away, verbally attacked her, and fought viciously against her when he tried to kill himself earlier that morning.

Yet Anzu had held on to him, she had refused to let him go all for the sake of she loved him as on of her closest friends. However, she never should have had go through it all of that. It was not her place to take care of Yuugi, to comfort and reassure him when he had nothing left to believe in. He had someone who was supposed to have been there for him, through every tear, curse, and scream.

_/Yami./ _

Only silence greeted him on the other end. Yuugi closed his eyes and rolled onto his side. Hot tears coursed down his cheeks, his shoulders shook with the force of his pain, but not sound could be heard as Yuugi bit down on his bottom lip to hold back the ragged sobs that wanted to escape.

Yami remained in his corner, his hands were clenched tight in his unbound hair as he listened and felt Yuugi crying for him.

He was a miserable, selfish bastard. The one person he cared for, the one he loved, needed him badly, but Yami could not bear to be near him. Agony tore at him when the first keening wail escaped Yuugi's lips. His hands tighten convulsively in his hair. _"Yuugi,"_ his heart screamed at Yami to go to the one who could sooth his emotional ache and stop the pain of his soul mate. Stubbornly, Yami ignored his own body and relentlessly clamped down on his emotions and reinforced the mental barriers against Yuugi.

Soon after, Yuugi fell into an exhausted sleep. His ordeal had sapped him of all his energy, leaving him with nothing to draw upon to stay awake after his latest crying jag.

Yami waited until he was sure that Yuugi was in a deep slumber before he pulled himself up and crept silently from the room. In the hall, Yami slumped against the far wall. He was drained physically and emotionally. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten anything and the faint scent he detected on his person was not pleasant.

Wearily, he ran a hand over his face; he needed a shave as well as a shower. Yami hated facial hair. When he was talking to a person, he wanted to see their facial expression as well as their eyes. Last year he almost had a fit when Yuugi said he wanted to grow a goatee. It was the first time they had ever really fought and it was the last time. Yami had won in the end it was a dark victory. Yuugi refused to talk to him and they had absolutely no physical contact for a three hours which led to another fight that almost became something worst.

He had forced Yuugi into yielding to him twice that day. Their relationship was never really the same after either. For a while, Yami feared that Sugoroku's warning was coming true, but Yuugi stayed with him nor did he ever challenge Yami's will again. To think, he almost lost the love of his life over something as stupid as facial hair! Now, was faced with the prospect of losing Yuugi over something he might have done to offend someone five thousand years ago.

Wouldn't that just be a perfect irony.

Yami stripped out the clothes he had been in for two days and grabbed a pair of loose cotton pants on his way his bath. As he adjusted the water, Yami's thoughts drifted over his past.

When he had lived as Pharaoh of Kemet, he had been no great tyrant, yet he had not been a saint either. He had been the King of Shadows and Darkness and had defied the Gods. He withstood the most powerful of mages and boldest of priest as he crushed them beneath his heels in his and the Shadows quest for complete domination over the heavens.

The heavens shook and trembled in his path, the Gods shrank back from his wraith. Yet none dared to challenge him, even as the so-called powerful one feared him, including his father, who watched as his own son banished his soul to the Shadow Realm.

All but one and that usurper died a horrid death one far than his followers and family. He had destroyed that line and made sure that they were never remembered in Kemet's history. He was a myth and a legend in his former Kingdom, the Shadow Games, and the subsequent Wars that followed were viewed by historians and Egyptologists as fairytales, but his legacy survived while his enemies' names were lost in the whispers of time. He lived his life without ever repenting for a single sin he had committed against the Gods or faced retribution for his crimes. He had lived by his own law, while ignoring traditions and the sacred texts carried by the priest. He did not fear the death; he had welcomed it, for life had become ceaseless toil for him and the burden he carried that was his reign.

Pharaoh Atemu had walked boldly into death's cool embrace, knowing that he would pass on to join the others in _Sekhet-hetep_ only to be condemned to an eternity in _Tuat_. Yet that was not to be. He was spared from that fate by the Shadows that had served him and again he did not receive his comeuppance or so the world had through. The Shadows had latched onto his spirit just before he was condemned to the tortures of _Tuat_ and locked him in their macabre idea of existence.

His punishment was spending thousands of years trapped in the void with only the Shadows as companion inside the Sennen Puzzle. It was worth it though, from his death to the years of existing as the Shadows favorite plaything, for him to live again. More so, his having Yuugi was a reward far better than eternity in paradise.

_Quos deus vult perdere prius dementat_. The Gods drive mad those they wish to punish.

That could be true. Yami was never paid for his sins. He cheated death, defied the Gods, and managed to do the impossible by living again as a mortal man. Maybe this was his punishment? To punish him for his arrogance, extracting their revenge on him the Gods went after his love.

His hands stilled over his chest, the warm water washed away the soap from his body and hands. With the Gods anything was possible but then the truth could be said of him. Yami stuck his head under the spigot to wash away the conditioner and those foolish thoughts. The Gods would not be so cruel nor so foolish.

Yuugi was the very essence of goodness and light. His beloved just exuded innocence and love. Most importantly, Yuugi belonged to him and none of the ancient Gods of Kemet would risk rousing Pharaoh Atemu's anger.

Also, the was the face that Yuugi was for lack of any other term--perfect. Yuugi was even trying to reform him. Yami snorted lightly at the though. It amused him to no end and always left Yuugi frustrated, but Yami's cherished Hikari was determined to reform him. And Yuugi refused to stop until he had dragged the cold-hearted, ancient, all-powerful Pharaoh out of the past and his shadows and into the light or a least part of it. Unfortunately for Yuugi, he just would not see Yami as a lost cause and Yami loved Yuugi all the more for his it.

"_I am going to marry you, Yuugi." He rolled onto his back with Yuugi sprawled onto his chest._

_His light laughed softly. "Last time I checked, Japan did not recognize homosexual unions."_

"_Such a closed minded little nation. But luckily for you, I've been doing some research on this particular subject." Yami reached up to tuck a lock of shimmering golden blond hair behind Yuugi's ear. _

_ "Oh, have you now, Moto-san?" Yuugi smirked._

_He laughed at the expression that was so similar to his own. "Of course. I never make a proposition without doing some research."_

_ "And what did you come up with?" _

_Yami traced the seam of Yuugi's sensitive lips with his forefinger before Yuugi sucked the tip inside. "We'll go to Hawaii." His eyes narrowed sharply as Yuugi did some creative little things with his tongue around that digit. "We will have a predawn ceremony on the beach, and then you and I will..." He pulled his finger out of Yuugi's mouth, then caught his face between his palms and drew Yuugi down for another long, slow kiss. "Mmm, so sweet..." He watched as Yuugi's eyes were clouded over slightly. "We can leave tonight?"_

_Yuugi shook his head to clear it. "I'm not even sixteen yet." _

"_Fine, we'll wait..."_

"_Until I am twenty-one?" Yami started to protest, but Yuugi shut him up with a kiss. "And when that time comes." Yuugi pushed himself up until he was sitting on Yami's bare chest. "You can be the bride and I will be the groom." Before Yami knew what was happening, Yuugi had pinned his shoulders to the bed and his light leered down at him. "I bet you will look real prutty in'ah dress, too, darlin'." He drawled in a bad imitation of American cowboy._

"_Hikari?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Your accent is atrocious."_

"_My English teacher would be inclined to agree with you, _amor mio_."_

"_Your Italian is almost as bad as your English." Yami shifted under Yuugi's weight. "You've been working out. That or you're getting fat."_

"_Fat? I'll show you fat. That's what you are going feel like after with no sex for a couple weeks, buddy."_

_Yami's eyes darken instantly. "I am not your buddy and you can't cut me off. What am I suppose to do? I have finals next week."_

_ "I have finals too."_

_ "You are the perfect stress reliever."_

"_You know what you can do."_

_Yami snorted, "Not when I have you."_

"_I'll buy you some baby lotion." He kissed the tip of Yami's nose, "Baby."_

"_Hikari?"_

"_Yes, sweet'ums?"_

_Yami tried not to laugh. "That's it, no more Westerns for you."_

"_Forgive me for not sounding like a suck up—"_

_Yami used the distraction to tumble Yuugi to the bed. "Something will be stuck somewhere..."_

"_Yami!"_

"_Yami what?"_

"_You're a pervert."_

"_Only with you."_

"_Good, had you said anyone else, I would had to kill you."_

"_I love it when you are possessive, hikari..."_

"_Yami?"_

_He dropped his head on Yuugi's bare shoulder and groaned. "Yes?"_

"_What makes you think I would marry you?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Intelligent response, Pharaoh." Yuugi drawled, "But really, why would I, a handsome piece of man flesh by the way, want to be "chained", if you will, to a condescending, domineering, high maintenance, ,jealous, narcissistic ,pompous bastard like you for the rest of my life?"_

"_Could it be that I am not giving you a choice."_

"_Bastard."_

_He smirked. "You say that like it's a bad thing."_

"_You are just so full of yourself."_

"_I am a man who knows what he wants and not afraid to take it." He nipped at Yuugi's bottom lip. "You taste like honey."_

"_You have a one track mind."_

"_Only when it comes to making love with you."_

_He could not help but to laugh. "You are a pain in the ass."_

"_You love it, though." He grinned as he slid his nimble fingers along the curve of said piece of Yuugi's anatomy._

"_I meant that as an insult, hentai." He threw his arms around Yami's neck and drew him down a for mind drugging kiss. /You still haven't given me a good reason to consider married to you./_

_I will change._

_/They always say that./_

_Who? Who is 'They' you constantly bring up?Yami demanded, almost breaking the kiss. If it is..._

_Yuugi groaned. /Just shut up and kiss me, self-centered bastard./_

Yami shut off the water. He fell against the tiled walls of the shower and a heart broken sob tore from his chest. He sank down his knees wrapping his arms around himself as he cried for the first time since...

Why Yuugi?

Why was his Hikari the one to suffer? Why could it not have happened to pox ridden tomb robber's effeminate light or that twisted little pretender Marik's psychotic light? Both of those wasted pieces of humanity needed to have something done to them. For Ryou, it would have correcting nature's mistake and for Malik, the change might have sent him right over the edge and that would have meant one less psycho in the world.

But no, that would have been too easy. The fates had to come after his hikari and torture him. All of which just infuriated him further. Yami worshiped Yuugi. He would have and has done everything he within his power to protect and keep Yuugi. He left the prison of the Sennen Puzzle and became apart of this new world so he could share in Yuugi's life. He humbled himself to learn about Yuugi's culture and people. He took a body so he could grow with Yuugi, so they could truly live as together. He wanted to spend his life with Yuugi, he wanted to grow old with him, and leave this world looking in his eyes and being with him forever in eternity. It was clichéd and overly sentimental, but it was all true. He wanted all of this, he wanted Yuugi. He wanted his hikari back.

Damn it. He slammed his right fist into the cold white shower tiles and swore. Why didn't this happen to either the Tomb Robber or the Pretender? Neither really cared for their lights. They did not try to live in this world; Neither would have lowered themselves to become apart of their lights' lives. Those two only wanted to cause mayhem and play in the Shadows. They did not care for anyone or anything other than themselves and their pleasures.

Did either go out of the way to make their lights happy?

No.

Did either one want to spend their lives with their lights for love instead of obligation?

What was that word again, No.

Did they tolerate the hordes of useless plebian filth for their lights on a daily basis?

Hell, no.

Have they ever put their lights consideration before their own?

No. But he sure as hell did, seeing Seto Kaiba walking around was proof enough of Yami's unwavering devotion to Yuugi's happiness.

So, yes, he, the former Pharaoh of Kemet, King of the Shadows and all-around ruthless and brutal bastard, did this and more for the love of his hikari. He did this when everything in him demanded that he lock Yuugi in a room for his personal pleasure and away from prying eyes. He wanted to slay anyone who dared to glance at his hikari. And he itched to exile Kaiba to an eternity of torment in the Shadow Realm just because that bastard was breathing. But he had not done any this so why had his hikari been changed?

Why Yuugi?

Ryou was weak and pathetic. Malik was losing his sanity by the hour. No one would have cared less had one of them been transformed into a female, least of all him. So why Yuugi? Why his light?

The house had never been so quiet, Sugoroku reflected somberly.

Yuugi was still asleep; Yami had come down a short while ago. He gone straight for the kitchen threw together a sandwich and departed to his room with it and bottle of water.

Yuugi's friends had stopped by earlier that afternoon to drop of Yuugi's assignments and books. Ryou promised to bring by all the notes Yuugi had missed at the end of the week since they had all the same classes. The boy's yami, Bakura, had hovered anxiously over the white haired youth and practically drugged the boy out of the door when he had finished saying good-bye and wishing Yuugi well.

Sugoroku sat downstairs in the living room with the television on. Nothing really held his interest since his mind was fixed on his grandson sleeping upstairs. The muffled sounds of music came from Yami's room. The volume was high, but then it always was when Yami was trying to concentrate for that reason Sugoroku did not disturb him.

Another sitcom came on and Sugoroku had enough. Wearily, he trudged up the stairs, he stopped by Yami's room and told him to put in his headphones, and then he made his way to Yuugi's room. The boy was still out and his grandfather hoped he stay that way for the rest of the night.

He prayed that when Yuugi finally awoke that this nightmare would be over, but Sugoroku was not so naïve. He could pray and hope until the sun finally fell through the sky, however, Yuugi was still going to be trapped in this living nightmare.

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**

Translations:

Sekhet-hetep-the Egyptians Elysian Fields

Tuat-Tartarus

Quos deus vult perdere prius dementat-The Gods drive mad those they wish to punish


	4. Chapter Four

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Chapter Four

It was as if he had been swept away in an endless dream. A dream where he was himself and everything around him was the same. His friends hadn't changed and everything was as it should have been, except there was strange girl who followed him everywhere and imitated him in every way.

She was very pretty, this girl, he would ever go so far as to say she was beautiful. She reminded Yuugi of a porcelain figurine with her pale white skin, delicate figure, and ethereal features, she was utterly lovely to look at. She seemed otherworldly, her elfin features, pale, moon kissed skin that that seemed to glow again the back drop of long ruby tipped ebony hair.

On small graceful shoulders fell dark golden locks that rested on high firm breast and a black, ruby tinted curtain that framed her tiny waist. Down further, Yuugi's cold eyes traced the gently curved of her slightly flared hips and her long, slender legs with her delicate little ankles and tiny white feet.

Was he cataloging her attributes correctly, Yuugi wondered. The girl slowly reached up brushed messy golden bangs away from her eyes. Dainty, fairy like little hands with bitten off nails came to rest on top of her slender shoulders. The girl in the before pouted at him, she didn't frown; She pouted. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by his careful perusal of her body. Not a hint of a blush stained her alabaster cheeks or infused her long, graceful neck as Yuugi slowly brought his eyes back up to rest on her elegant little face.

This was all very strange and new to Yuugi, who until this very moment, had never seen a real girl naked and this up close. He had seen pornos at Honda's house when he had stayed over with him and Jou. However, those women had been altered with fake breast and dyed hair, nothing was real on them or coming out of them. Even the orgasms were faked. But this girl, she was the real thing and yet she did not look like the real at all. She looked like a tiny Barbie doll that Anzu had in her storage room, right down to her incredible small feet. She raised her right foot and looked down at it, her pretty little mouth forming another cute pout as she studied the sole of her own foot.

She was just too _cute _forwords and adorable, too. But not in the sense of a sweet little girl cute. She was a beautiful, sensual angel who could had every male in Domino City, hell even all of Japan, at her perfect little feet if she so desired. All except for two, the one who hated her and wanted to see her dead and the one who just loathed her.

Yuugi turned away from the beautiful girl and returned to his rumpled bed. He picked up his discarded robe and pulled it over his nude form, his eyes drifted over the rumbled, sweat soak sheets he had been in for three days and a sudden rage surged through him.

Yuugi ripped the covers off his bed and threw everything on the floor. He bundled everything up and went into the bathroom and stuffed everything into the clothes hamper; Yuugi stalked back into his bedroom, the clothes he had worn on Sunday lay in a small pile before his closed closet door. He snatched the leather pieces up, balled them up, and threw them in the trash. Wild lavender eyes fell on the Duel Monsters cards spread out on his desk and started to sweep them into the trash. But reason prevailed here. With a defeated sigh, Yuugi dropped down on his chair and reached for his cards.

In a well practice motion that was second nature to him, Yuugi shuffled the deck before deftly drawing five cards from the top. With a flick of his wrist, Yuugi fanned the hand and a sad smile graced his lips. Gaia the Fierce Knight, Celtic Guardian, Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, and Dark Magician. A bad hand to start with, one of the best hands to have in the heat of the duel for relentlessly pounding into your opponent and to ensure a quick victory or to squeeze out of a tight jam.

Yuugi let all the cards but one fall to the floor, he laid the Dark Magician on the desk top in defense and he drew five more cards, the five limbs of the Forbidden One. He fanned the hand then snapped it close. He tossed out Exodia's right arm and then laid the out next to the Dark Magician. The mage was pushed to the floor and the rest of the Exodia's body followed.

Yuugi dropped to his knees, his deck lay scattered about him, and each card was a mocking reminder of his _stupid_ nativity. A hundred different scenarios played through his mind. There were so many what-ifs; it made him angry by thinking of everything he could have done to avoid that duel and having this happen to him.

He should have answered his phone when Yami called him. He could have just walked away from Kaiba in the bookstore, but no, he just had to let that idiot get to him. Kaiba was always calling him a little faggot and Yami's fuck boy. Of course, Yami would find Kaiba soon after and then when Yuugi would next see that pompous jerk; the genius millionaire would be sporting a couple painful looking injures and/or had something that was broken.

But on that Sunday, Yuugi chose to stand up for himself. He wanted to know what Kaiba's problem was with him. Yuugi was not the only gay student at Domino High and he would not be the last. Did Kaiba ever stoop to constantly harass any of the other homosexual students at Domino? Why the hell did he always single Yuugi out? What had he done other than try to be friends with the son of bitch? Yuugi had enough of the short jokes, he was tried of the derogatory names, and he was a just plain sick of Seto Kaiba getting in his face.

Bitter laughter rang throughout the room. So he had finally stooped to blame others for his mistakes? It had not Kaiba's fault that he had run off. It was not Yami's fault for Yuugi not answering his mental calls. Yuugi had turned off his cell phone, he did not want to be disturbed, and he just wanted to forget everything that had happened back at the bookstore. He wanted to wash Seto Kaiba from his mind. Nor did he ever want to lay eyes that repulsive, jealous little wretch ever again.

He snorted. That was not about to happen anytime soon. They went to the same school and unless Kaiba dropped dead today or transferred out, he was going to be there when Yuugi went back . _If he went back._

Also, Yuugi was friends with Kaiba's younger brother. Mokuba always hung around with Yuugi and he was one of Yami's biggest fans. Despite of Mokuba foul mouth and bad case of verbal diarrhea, Yuugi honestly liked the kid and enjoyed his company. The kid and Kaiba were so very different from each it made Yuugi wonder if they really came from the same gene pool. Kaiba had a stick permanently lodged in his ass. He was rude, condescending, and conceited as hell. Sometimes he made Yami look like portrait of compassion.

Anzu had slapped Kaiba at least five time in the last three years they had misfortune of knowing the prick. (Yuugi had personally wanted to see her give Kaiba a good swift kick to the family jewels a few times but Anzu too much of lady. Well, she claimed that she did not want to whatever was in Kaiba on her foot and who could blame her.) Nevertheless, the prick was always around them, like he could not develop his own set of friends or a social life.

He made it a point to deride and degrade Yuugi and his friends at any interval, but then he was always accompanying his brother on outings with them. They all used to wonder why Kaiba even bothered to follow them if he could not stand to be around them, but now Yuugi knew and really wished he did not know. If he did not like Kaiba before, he sure as hell did not now.

_"What do you want from me, Kaiba?" Normally soft, warm lavender eyes had darkened into hard amethyst chips as Yuugi stared contemptuously up at his tormentor. _

_They stood in the back of the bookstore, down a lonely aisle that away from prying eyes and overly curious observers. _

_Seto Kaiba was not his usual confident, overbearing self. He was fidgeting and unnaturally tense as gazed coldly at Yuugi. And every second he looked at Yuugi, his already white knuckled fists would tighten. _

_ "I don't have all day to waste my time stand here with you." Yuugi declared boldly. He was tired of Kaiba and his games. He just wanted to purchase Yami's books and leave._

_ "What's your rush, little Yuugi?" Kaiba demanded. "Can't wait to continue with your nercophilic fantasy?" _

_ "Yami's not dead." Yuugi said harshly. "But I'll give you a guess at who will be if you don't get my face, Seto."_

_Kaiba sneered contemptuously. "You think he really loves you, don't you?"_

_Yuugi turned on him. "Look, Kaiba. I am not going to through this with you. You have it in for Yami, you deal with it and him, but you leave me out of it. I do not like you, man. I am not your friend, I am not brother, and I sure as hell am not down with you. Now, if you have a problem with me, I would understand this constant harassment, and then we would have handled this like men."_

_ "You dare to call yourself a man when you spread your legs for that creature like a little bitch."_

_ "Dude, I am fucking gay." Yuugi shot back. "And it doesn't matter who the hell I'm sleeping with as long as it isn't you. And beside, what Yami and I do behind closed doors is none of your business."_

"_It is my business when you are flaunting your relationship around Mokuba." _

_ "Don't even try that shit, Kaiba. Yami and I do nothing more than hold hands in public. We have more respect for each other than some people." He looked pointedly at the young man before him._

_ "I am not interested in what you do."_

_Yuugi let out a short bark of laughter. "Oh, really. I was under the impression this was what you entire stupid argument was about."_

_Kaiba pressed his lips together into a thin line._

_Yuugi tipped his head to one side and grinned viciously. "Come on, Kaiba-boy." He mocked, using Pegasus nickname for the self-important nuisance. "Make up your mind. It sure as hell ain't my charm. I hold it back when you are around. Is it my good looks? Naw, you're too much of a homophobic prick to go that route. Come on. What's the real reason you're constantly fucking with me? Maybe you think I'm weak. That I can't defend myself, I will keep on taking this shit from you..." _

_ "Damn it, Yuugi." Kaiba snapped. He grabbed the other boy by the arms and jerked him off his feet and pushed him against the far wall. "Why can you be a woman?"_

_Was all the warning Yuugi got before Kaiba crushed his mouth to his. At first, Yuugi was so surprised he couldn't blink, he couldn't breath, nor think about anything other than this asshole was kissing him._

_Kaiba pressed his body closer to his, one of his arms snaked around Yuugi's back and moved up to the nape of his neck. Yuugi tried to wrench his mouth free, but Kaiba had buried his hand in the back of Yuugi's hair and was holding his head in place._

_ "You bastard." Yuugi hissed through his teeth. Disgust filled him as Kaiba ran his tongue over his lips. "Get your damned hands off me." With a violent thrust, Yuugi shoved Kaiba away._

_He pushed back into the opposite wall, but the bastard had held on to Yuugi's hair. Yuugi fell against Kaiba's chest. He lay there a moment, trying orient himself, when Kaiba dragged his head back and to kiss him again. Yuugi surprised him with a swift blow to the chest. Kaiba's grip loosened and Yuugi slipped out of his reach, but not before land a solid right hook against Kaiba's chin. _

_ "You son of a bitch." Yuugi growled low and menacingly deep in his throat. "If you ever try that stunt again, I will kill you. Do you hear me, Kaiba? Don't you ever touch me again. Never. I—" Disgust rushed through him Yuugi clamped a hand over his mouth and ran from the book store. _

_Behind him, he heard the clerk call out, "Miss. Are you alright. Miss?"_

Miss? Did he truly look so feminine before this happened to him? Yami would laugh at him and tell him that he was perfect just as he was.

_"So you are fine with me not cutting my hair?" Yuugi rolled onto his chest and moved closer to his lover until their noses were touching._

_ "As long as it's not on your chin." Yami kissed the said chin. "Or over those sweet, delectable lips..." Another kiss. "Or your chest." He nudged him until Yuugi fell on his back. "I can not abide body hair." He moved over Yuugi's body and settled on top of him. _

_ "It's the Egyptian in you." Yuugi grinned. Yami started to make a rejoinder but Yuugi cut him off. "Please, don't say it."_

_ "Say what?" He stopped moving down._

_ "I just opened myself up for that."_

_ "I want you to open up." He nipped at Yuugi's waist. "There are three things further down your body I want from Japan and then Kemet will put something in you."_

_Yuugi laughed, "One track mind and it goes straight to the gutter. We were talking about my hair."_

_ "I'm fine with you going your hair on your head, no where else."_

_ "It's my body."_

_Yami stopped his southward progression; his eyes met Yuugi's. Let's not that argument again, Hikari._

_ /You are such an ass./_

_ Yuugi... _

"Yuugi?"

Yuugi raised his head from his desk and saw his grandfather standing in his doorway. Concern and worry were etched in Sugoroku's careworn face as he watched his grandson scrub at the fresh tears that had gathering in the corners of his luminous eyes as he stood up.

"Oh, Ji-san, I didn't hear you come in." A fleeting smile touched his lips. He pulled his robe close and made sure that tie was secure at his waist.

Sugoroku wanted to ask him so many things but they all seemed trite and callous. How could you ask your grandson how was he feeling when he made into a girl against his will?

_"And are you feeling today, Yuugi? You know, you are the first male in our family to become an oddity?"_

Yes, that would go over really well with the boy.

Thankfully, Yuugi was unaware of his grandfather's preoccupation. He had pulled himself up from the floor after picking up his cards and had returned them to the black leather carrier he always kept them in. He noticed that he cell phone was on it's charger and his wallet was on the desk beside it.

Yuugi reached for the wallet and checked it's contents. A couple hundred yen, his bankcard, drivers' license, and Yami's credit card were still inside. Yami had given it to him Sunday morning; he had asked Yuugi to stop by the bookstore while he was at the mall to pick a couple books for him.

_/Yami?/_ There was still silence. Yuugi frowned as he tried again, but received no answer. Puzzled by this strange behavior, Yuugi turned to his grandfather to find out where Yami had gone.

"He's in his room." He told him. "He just returned from his classes not to long ago."

"If he is here, why isn't he answering me?"

Instantly, Sugoroku sought out a distraction for the boy and said the first thing that came to mind. "You are handling this situation well." Mentally he winced. Did he really say that?

Large lavender eyes blinked a few times before a slow, but true smile made it way to Yuugi's pale pink lips. "I am glad you think so. I feel like going to fall apart at any moment."

There was the cheeky Yuugi he had grown to love. "What with the smile then?"

"Oh, well that's easy, Ji-san." He drawled, "That was the first time I ever heard you say something remotely inane. Didn't think you had it in you, Gramps."

A loud guffaw shook Ji-san's rotund form and it turned into a full belly laugh when he caught a glance of his grandson's smirking face. A smirk did not belong on that angelic face, it was just strange. Sugoroku collapsed onto Yuugi's bed, he was holding one hand to his right side and with the other, and he was wiping away the tears of mirth that had spilled down his cheeks.

Yuugi just shook his at the old man as he went to his dresser. He pulled opened the first drawer and pulled out a pair of blue plaid boxers and a tee shirt.

Sugoroku had stopped laughing. He now sat by, silently watching the one he had raised and loved like his son, fighting to keep his emotions under control while he picked out a few pieces of clothes to put on. When the boy started towards his bathroom door, he called out to him.

Yuugi half turned to face him. Tear filled lavender eyes met sad faded lavender ones, the emotional pain and fear in those eyes went straight to Sugoroku heart and he said what he knew he should have being saying along.

"I love you." He told him.

Yuugi swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

"We're going to get through this. Some how, Yuugi."

"I don't have another choice." He sniffed loudly.

"You are stronger than you think."

He snorted as he turned his face away trying to hide the tears that spilled down his face. "Platitudes don't become you, Ji-san." He said irritable.

His grandfather agreed, "Sometimes the clichés can convey the sincerity of another's concern. You will get through this." Sugoroku promised. "You fought to live when you were born. You survived the loss of your parents and you fought to save me. I know you, Yuugi. You are not a quitter; you have never backed down when it came to something you believed in. I refuse to let you start doubting yourself now. You will get through this; I will be at your side every step of the way. I won't let you fall."

Yuugi drew in a shuddering breath. He turned back to his grandfather; he wanted to say...What could he say?

Slowly, Sugoroku came around to his grandson. He cupped the beautiful little face in his hands, bringing it down so he could reach his brow. Tenderly, he kissed Yuugi's forehead then he looked into to boy's eyes so there would never be any doubt in his mind concerning his sincerity.

"You will not face this alone. I will do whatever it takes to help you. I love you. I love you."

Soft sobs emanated from the boy's lips.

"Now, go shower, you smell a little ripe." He smiled as he gave him a little shove to get him going. After Yuugi had closed the door, Sugoroku's façade fell. He hated this, he absolutely hated this wretched situation, but there was no way he could fix it.

He let out a deep, soul weary sigh as he set to the task of straightening Yuugi's room. After he had made the bed and picked up a few scattered pieces of clothing and grabbed the wastebasket on his way out the door. With the simple tasks completed, Sugoroku was at a lost as what to do. He hadn't opened the shop today, it hadn't really been open since he wanted to be close by in case Yuugi had needed him for anything. With nothing to do, he (and his grumbling stomach) decided he could use some lunch.

Sugoroku had just placed meal of vegetable soup and a hearty chicken sandwich on the table when he felt eyes on him. With a start he looked up and was surprised to see Yuugi standing in the kitchen entry away.

The boy was shoeless and Sugoroku noticed why, Yuugi's feet had shrunk a size and a half and were extremely narrow and delicate. He added shoes to the mental list he had been making since he returned downstairs. The sweat pants Yuugi wore pulled tight about his waist, but his feminine waist was smaller than Yuugi's athletically trim one. Trousers were already on the list as were shirts and whatever female things Yuugi required. Yuugi had a one a white tee shirt that was knotted under his breasts.

Sugoroku mention the obvious. "You need underwear, boy."

The heavy cloud of tension on Yuugi fell when entered the kitchen. He grabbed a bowl out of the dish drainer and made a beeline to the stovetop.

His grandfather sat down at the table, "You want half of my sandwich?"

Yuugi shook his head, "I'll make my own." He was ravenous.

They ate in silence. Sugoroku surreptitiously watched Yuugi as he devoured the entire contents of the pot and helped himself to three sandwiches chicken sandwiches before he pushed back from the table with a satisfied sigh.

"Someone was hungry." Sugoroku noted dryly as he took a sip from his coffee mug.

"I feel like I'm gonna bust." Although that did not stop him from plucking an orange from the fruit basket in the center of the table.

"Wait until you get up to your room to blow your contents." His grandfather smirked.

Yuugi started to flip him off, but respect for his grandfather kept the vulgar gesture hidden. Yuugi drew his knees up to his chest and shook his wet hair back from his face. "None of my clothes fit," he said as he bit into the thick rind.

"I noticed."

"I was going to call Anzu after school to see if she would help me out with—you know—the feminine shopping thing." He closed his eyes and let his head fall back on his neck. "I have absolutely no idea of how I'm going to do this, Ji-san."

"You shouldn't have to do this."

Yuugi chuckled, it sounded bitter even to himself. "You are so right about that." He sighed. "But what can I do? That witch—When she was crawling all over me, kissing me with her acid tongue, I couldn't stop her. I didn't know at the time she was changing me. I was in pain...Every time she me touch felt like fire. I wanted to fight her, but I couldn't..."

"Yuugi?" He grandfather started to go to him.

"You know, I keep replaying the entire day over in my mind." Large lavender eyes opened, revealing all of his emotional pain. "I keep thinking about what I should have done and did do. I didn't have to accept her challenge. If I hadn't been so upset, I probably would have noticed that something...that something wasn't right with her."

_He had been sitting by the fountain for hours, just staring at the water in basin, letting the afternoon and the crowd passed by him. The sound of the rushing water was soothing. It helped him to restore his serenity and peace. He had been lost in his own world and had noticed the beautiful girl standing before him until she leaned forward and placed her face within a few centimeters from his nose. _

_Yuugi yelped and started back violently. _

_The girl laughed softly, a small, fragile hand covered her smiling mouth in a demure action. He half lay on the stone bench, his mouth having fallen over open as gawked at the most beautiful person he had the pleasure of laying eyes upon._

_She lowered her hand; a bright, happy smile was on her pale cherry lips as she gazed down at him._

_"You are a pretty one." She giggled. _

"I never suspected anything." He laughed bitterly. "I fell for a cliché that is applied to myself. How could someone so innocent be so...It doesn't matter anymore," he said quietly. "The damage has been done."

_"What's done is done, sweet one."_

"What are you are talking about? What has been done?"

"Besides the obvious?" the youth joked.

_ "What can the Shadow King do to me now?" She was amused by his stubborn silence._

_She turned her face to look at Yami, her left hand holding Yuugi's chin, forcing him to look at the powerful Pharaoh and she laughed. "He cannot undo what I have done..."_

The boy shook his head slightly. He put aside his fruit. He wrapped his arms about his knees and was silent.

Sugoroku was at a lost with this new mood. He started to say something to draw Yuugi out, only to be brought up short as a shadow fell over the kitchen floor. "Yami," he said bit too brightly. "I thought you would be asleep for a while."

The young man in question headed straight for the refrigerator and pulled the door open. "Had to finish up a take home test." He mumbled. "I'll sleep on the plane."

Yuugi was dumbfounded. He had not felt Yami at all. Even without their puzzles, they had been able to sense each other's whereabouts when they were in close proximity of each other. Yet he had felt nothing.

What the hell was going on?

Was Yami deliberately shielding against him? Yuugi worried his lower lip as he tried to understand why the Pharaoh was closing him out. He had a good idea as to why, but he focused his attention on the man who seemed to be ignoring his presence.

"Have you finished with your packing?" Sugoroku was saying as Yami joined them at the table with a plum and bottle of water. The Pharaoh nodded as he took bit. "And you are still comfortable with Honda and Otogi accompanying you instead of Yuugi or myself?"

"_Hai_, Ji-san." His eyes crimson eyes flicked in Yuugi's direction and they hardened.

"When do you want to leave for the airport?"

Yuugi tuned out the rest f the conversation. He knew he wasn't going to New York with Yami. As of right now, he was half afraid to leave the house as it was and there was no way he wanted to leave the country. What bothered him was just everything. Yami had cut him off and completely pulled away from him

Yami had to ask Sugoroku to repeat himself. "The flight does not depart until midnight. We have to pick up Honda from his house, Otogi said he would come here."

"And you confirmed your hotel reservations?"

"On-line and by telephone this morning. A suite with three bedrooms."

"Rental car?"

"I'll pick it up at the airport and before you ask, I did ask for a map of New York and directions to the hotel. The travelers checks did arrive this morning, I'm only taking one credit card and I have my passport and id in the same case as my deck."

"You are all set then?"

Another nod from Yami as he devoured the fruit. "I'm going to drop the test off on my way to gym." He pushed back from table and stood up.

Yuugi had been feeling was pushed aside, buried them as he met the cool, detected gaze of his beloved. Pain and hurt washed through Yuugi's soul and was reflected in his luminous eyes but Yami ignored him and walked out of the room without once speaking to his Hikari.

His grandfather wanted both comfort his grandson and yell at Yami. Both boys were in pain and the hurt centered around Yuugi. Sugoroku said the youth's name, but Yuugi pushed his chair from the table and fled from the room in tears.

Yami heard the first muffled sob as Yuugi run up the stairs. He stumbled a few times, and fell hard on his knees at the top of the stairs.

"Yuugi," he wanted to apologize. He wanted to call him back and bundle him in his arms and beg for his forgiveness. Pride stayed his voice and his hand. Yuugi had done nothing wrong. He knew that in heart, but his stubborn pride would not make bow down and admit he was the one at fault. That was not apart of his nature.

Yami closed his bedroom door completely and slumped against it. "What the hell am I to do?" _I can't do this. _He admitted to his own disgust. "Yuugi."

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Chapter Five

Yuugi and Anzu were waiting up for Yuugi's grandfather to return.

Anzu paused her channel surfing to cast another worried glance in her friend's direction. Yuugi was ensconced on the love seat with his opened school bag on the floor within reach. He had his notebook computer lying on the opposite cushion and in his lap was one of his textbooks.

Anzu turned around until she was facing him and she called to him.

The yellow highlighter in his right hand stopped. Yuugi turned his head in her direction, "Yeah?" His voice was still rusty from his latest crying fit and behind his reading glasses his large lavender eyes were slightly puffy. 

Anzu put on her brightest smile as she rolled to her knees. "I have a great idea. Why don't you get dressed and we go the movies?"

He shook his head. "Even if I wanted to, we would have to walk."

  "If you don't want to drive, that's cool. I have my license."

  "I meant Yami took my car keys and wallet. I'm broke until Yami decides to give back my money."

Anzu's mouth fell open in shock, but she recovered quickly. "Aww, so what? It will be my treat. Besides you need to get out of the house."

He shook his head again. "I'm really not in the mood, Anzu…"

  "C'mon, Yuugi. Have some compassion for your friend. I'm so bored right now." She jumped down from the couch and fell to her knees with holding her hands in prayer fashion as she begged. "Please, Yuugi. I went to the movies with Honda, Jou, and Shizuka last night and it was the worst mistake of my week. I wasted two hours of my life, barely sitting through an awful American slasher flick that was dubbed." She shuddered violently. "Please, Yuugi. I need to cleanse my mind. I need culture. I need to see _Sunset Boulevard_ and there's a special screen at the Cho Cinemaplex ." She grabbed his hands and tried out her sad puppy face. "Please, Yuugi?"

He was feeling abit like a shut in. Reluctantly, Yuugi asked, "Is it dubbed?"

She shook her head quickly. "Subtitled," Anzu knew she almost had him. Yuugi was a sucker for American old movie. Yet she needed something to increase her chances, something that would topple his resistance Anzu added: "I'll even sneak it an extra large bag of _M&M's_ for you."

That was all it took to get him moving. Yuugi tossed his homework aside as he scrambled to his feet. "I think I have an old pair of running shoes in the attic somewhere. What time does the movie start?" he called over his shoulder. 

  "I don't know, but we could hang out for awhile." She crawled over to her knapsack and pulled out her purse. She counted her money and sighed.

Yuugi had turned back just as he had an idea. "Anzu, don't worrying about paying." She looked up at him, her large blue eyes filled with questions. Yami had run over him enough this day and Yuugi wanted to strike back. "This will be Yami's treat." He smiled grimly as he headed for Yami's room.

                                                    *******

Thirty minutes later, the two where walking through downtown Domino. Anzu was in jeans and a light blue hooded pullover. Yuugi trailed beside her one of Yami's oversize gray hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants. With Anzu's assistance, Yuugi had managed to braid his hair. He let Anzu pin it down and then he tied a bandana over his hair and

a baseball cap to hide it. Yuugi hoped that he would not be recognized on the streets in this get up and he prayed that his more feminine traits were disguised as well. 

  "Why did he take your things?" Anzu asked quietly as Yuugi purchased their tickets. 

Yuugi had scribbled Yami's name onto the receipt. He handed it back and took their tickets. "It's called control." He handed Anzu her ticket and he stuffed his into his pocket. "Yami's a control freak or had you not noticed?"

  "We knew, we were all wondering if you blinded from Yami's faults by his charm." She replied sarcastically.

He glanced down at the little scrap of paper and then his watch. "I've always known. I used to share a body with the guy, remember?" The film didn't start for another hour which left them with some time to kill. "But to answer your question, I was going to leave." He answered quietly. 

Anzu looked down at him in shock. "You were going to runaway?" She was horrified. Oh, poor Yuugi, her heart ached for him. He was not handling this well at all.

Yuugi could read her thoughts in her eyes. He took her hand and interlaced their fingers. "I wasn't leaving for good, Anzu. This is my home and everyone I care about is here. I couldn't leave Ji-san and you guys because of pique. Despite how cold he is behaving towards me, I still do love Yami and he loves me. I just wanted to get away for a few days, to clear my head and decide what on what I should do. Professor Fujita and his wife are in Melbourne—"

  "Who?" She asked confused.

Yuugi pulled her inside the theater's café. "I forgot you don't know Fujita-san." He spotted an empty circular booth in the back and led her there. "The professor and his wife, Mei; they have a condo in Tokyo and I go up there every few days to gather their mail and feed the plants. I was going to go there while Yami was out of the country…" 

 "How did you meet this Professor?" She asked as signaled a waitress.

 "I had an internship with him last summer. He doing a study on—"

  "Anzu?" A familiar voice called from across the room.

Yuugi glance up and looked down quickly, swearing. 

  "What the--?" Anzu turned around and saw Jou pushing his way through his the slightly crowded room. She turned back to Yuugi, "Do you want me to get rid of him?"

Yuugi slump down in his seat, he pulled on a pair of dark sunglasses and turned his face away. Jou had not come alone. For some odd and creepy reason, Jou was with Seto Kaiba, Bakura and Marik and Malik.

  "Hey, what's all this?" Jou playfully shoved Anzu aside. He glanced at Yuugi, who looked more rough than normal. His appearance was "thuggish," Eminem _8 Mile_ rough. Jou, not knowing that the person across from him was his best friend, took it upon himself to act as Anzu's protector. "Since when have you stared dating thugs wanna be's?"

Yuugi and Anzu exchanged looks and the girl laughed. "Since when have you started hanging with the lower elements, Jou? I mean, a former thief, two psychos, and Kaiba?"

  "I was on my way to see you and Yug." He glanced at Yuugi, "You don't mind if me and my 'homies' intrude, do you, dawg?" 

Yuugi was glaring at Kaiba over the rim of his glasses. "No problems, _'G_." He slid around the table until he was sitting beside Anzu. "Any friends of Anzu…"

   "Well this is most unexpected." Bakura regarded Yuugi in his less than fashionable attire in amusement. "When the Pharaoh's away, you like to dress up and take out females, _Hikari no Pharaoh_?" Bakura smirked.

Yuugi lowered his glasses and stared coldly at the one time thief. "You are the last person who should ever insult another's clothes."

Bakura removed his wool pea coat to show off his dark blue v-neck sweater that went well with his charcoal gray painter's pants. "Today, I can."

   "Ryou dressed again?" Yuugi taunted.

The white haired youth flashed Yuugi a tight-lipped grin. "Does the Pharaoh know of your little side venture?" His dark eyes moved to Anzu. The other boy growled low in his throat. "Is that a no, _Hikari no Pharaoh_?" He asked innocently.

Yuugi's menacing façade began to crumble. He clamped his hands to his mouth as he snickered and snorted. "Oh, Kami. I dare you tell him." 

   "Are you familiar with the saying 'Don't shoot the messenger'?" The white haired yami dropped down beside Yuugi. "The Pharaoh would kill me if I went to him with such a tale."

   "Where's Ryou?" Anzu asked looking around. She stopped to pull Jou's hand out of her purse. 

   "Dinner with his father." Bakura ordered an iced coffee. "The old man in briefly. From here, he on his way to London or somewhere." He made room for the two maniacs. Jou did the same for Kaiba.

     "Is he still pressuring Ryou to attend university there?" Yuugi asked curiously. 

Bakura nodded. "Ryou is giving the matter serious consideration this time. Ryou says he is not pleased with the universities here and is looking at couple institutions in America as well as England."

   "We both talked about looking into Yale." Yuugi confessed. "We each have the grades and Yale is really one of the best universities in the world."

    "I would like to see America." Bakura admitted. "Well, the decision will be Ryou's in the end. I have a feeling we will be in England this time next year. Ryou's father is a member of something called the alumni committee."

   "Greased wheels for Ryou." Jou put in after he ordered his drink and couple brownies. 

   "Where are do you plan to attend University, Jou?" Malik asked in a moment of lucidly. 

The shaggy blond shook his head. "I haven't even though that far. I have to make it to graduation first. What about you, Yug?"

   "I wouldn't mind going to Yale, but I might end up at KO University. I'm not going to straight to university after I graduate."

   "You're taking off a year?" Jou was surprised by that news.

Yuugi nodded. "Yami graduates next summer and we've decided spend a year just seeing the world."

   "That sounds exciting." Anzu chirped. "Have you decided where you're going to go first?"

   "Hawaii," he scratched the bandana's knot at the base of his skull. Those hairpins were

digging into his head. 

   "Wow," Jou sank back against the seat. "Hawaii. Half away across the world."

   "Yet there's a possibility that you just won't go to university at all, isn't that right, Yuugi?" Kaiba sneered. "Yami doesn't want his fuck toy to get a education. Or maybe you're so besotted with that rotting, animated corpse that you would ruin what's left of your life—"

   "That's enough, Kaiba." The former tomb raider warned him. 

Kaiba eyes narrowed with disdain as he regarded the one time thief. "Do you think I fear you, grave robber?"

A cold, malicious grin graced Bakura's lips. "Had I it been you first challenged, Mage, I would have killed you. Yet you faced the Pharaoh while he shared his mind with this boy here. You live by his grace."

   "Yami has always been weak." Kaiba sneered.

Marik laughed, it was a sound completely without mirth. "You misunderstood the Tomb Raider, Seto-chan" he settled back in his seat with his arms folded across his chest as he studied the blue eyed youth. "When he said 'you live by his grace'; Bakura was not referring to the Pharaoh, for he has no compassion for anyone. He was talking about the Pharaoh's hikari. You are foolish to offend this boy. He is the only thing that has kept alive for these years." Dark amethyst eyes flickered into Yuugi's direction; A vicious grin appeared on the Spirit of the Rod's face. "And his patience is thinning, Seto. Yugioh has been patiently waiting for the day he could do away with you and at the rate you're going, the Pharaoh will have his wish very soon." 

Yuugi ignored him. He turned to two blonds at the end of the booth. "What about you, Malik? What are your plans?"

   "We're will be returning to Egypt." His yami answered for him. "Isis would like for my

light to complete his formal education here."

   "As well as his therapy." Bakura swatted away a paper napkin Malik threw at him. 

Yuugi moved closer to Anzu. "So were all of you heading to my house?"

   "Jou and Kaiba were on their way to see you. We were here to see _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_. Malik informed him. 

   "Again?" Yuugi cried in disbelief. "How many times can you see one movie?"

   "Fifty times haven't made dent in these two." Malik groaned. "Ryou was spared this torture. Lucky bastard." 

Yuugi nodded in sympathy. Yami had seen that very movie ten times and he had dragged Yuugi along each time.  flicked cold eyes in Kaiba's direction. "Why would you be coming to my house, Kaiba?"

   "Mokuba has been worried about you."

   "The kid can come over anytime. You, on the other hand, are not welcomed." The waitress returned with all their drinks. "Malik, have I missed anything important in our study group?"

   "Other than Mori thinking he is superior to us?" He ripped off the lid on his drink and stared tiredly into the cup. "You haven't missed anything."

    "Mori is a prick." Yuugi snorted. "I swear, if he calls me another ass whore, I'm going to break his nose with my literature book."

Malik snorted in amusement. "He's only doing it to cover up his initial attraction to you, Yuugi-chan."

   "Dude, don't call me that." The smaller youth growled menacingly. 

   "That's the first time I've ever heard you tease anyone before, Malik." Anzu said with a small laugh. 

He made a dismissive gesture. "That's what the prick would say the first couple weeks of our group session. He was so gentlemanly and attentive to the Pharaoh's hikari even though Yuugi-kun did nothing to encourage his behavior."

Anzu looked at Yuugi questioningly. 

The boy was lowered his coffee. "He though I was girl." He explained.

  "What?" Jou cried, then he started to laugh. "Yug, I told you needed a hair cut."

   "You're a fine one to talk, Mr. I-can't-been-seen-in-public-without-hair gel."

   "Hey, don't confuse me with Yami."

Yuugi snorted, "As if I could."

   "What are you trying to say?" Jou yelled.

   "I'm just saying I would confuse you with my boyfriend." The boy's eyes were dancing with mirth. "I mean, I don't know which of us would be more offended. Yami, by being compared to you or me; for the idea of one such as _myself_ being romantically linked with someone who looks like you…"

   "Oh, shit." Marik burst out. He had to get up or he was going to die right there.

   "Damn!" Bakura started to fan himself. "That's your friend, man."

Malik had pulled himself up from the floor and was now leaning across the table and he said in a loud stage whisper. "That must hurt. The midget says you're not good enough to be seen with him."

Jou put his right hand Malik's brow. "Shut the hell up," he growled as he shoved him away. He then turned on Yuugi and the other boy yelped as he tried squeeze and push past Bakura. Jou reached past Anzu with both arms, his fingertips grazed the back Yuugi's shirt just before the other boy clamored onto Bakura.

   "Hey!" Bakura tried to push Yuugi off, "Damnit, don't drag me into this foolishness."

 Anzu cried out when Jou fell in her lap. "You pervert!" She screamed and started to pound on his back and shoulders. "Get off me, Jou!"

   "Excuse me." A man in a white shirt and green apron stood glowering at them. "You kids either calm down or you have leave. You're disturbing the other customers." 

Abashed by his and his friends antics, Yuugi climbed off Bakura and settled back in his seat. Jou, still sprawled over Anzu's lap, punched Yuugi in his arm, thus getting in his cheap shot.

   "Ow, you bastard, that shit hurts!" Yuugi grabbed offended arm and held it.

   The three 'normal' guys stared at Yuugi.

   "Uh, Yuugi," Malik said nervously, "I think you're still sick." And whatever he had, Malik did not want.

Yuugi started to tell him what he could go do with himself. Anzu drew Yuugi's attention away from the blond Egyptian. 

   "You know, Yuugi there are a couple Moris at Domino High," Anzu pinched Yuugi's arm as she smiled brightly at him. "They all know you're a guy."

   "This guy's from Kyushu Prep." Yuugi glared murderously at her. "I'm going to kick your ass." He hissed. 

   "Since when do you fight girls, Yuugi?" She fluttered her lashes at him coquettish

Yuugi gave her the finger.

   "So how did he find out that you were a guy?" Jou asked interestedly.

   "The Pharaoh of course." Marik answered for him. 

Yuugi shook his head, "I told him I was straight and I didn't swing that way…"

 Confusion was stamped on their faces except Malik who was dying from laughter.  "But you…" Anzu trailed off. She looked at Yuugi as comprehension dawned in her eyes and giggled.

Malik fell out of his seat, he was laughing so much that did not feel it. The everyone at their table were looking at the hyena on the floor, then slowly, each separate person turned their attention back to Yuugi.

   "I fail to see the humor of this conversation." Bakura commented as he edged away from the strangling gasping on the floor. 

   "It's one of those things that you had to been there to understand." Still, Yuugi chuckled at the memory. "Now, instead of trying to get down my pants, Pillow biter Mori want to kick my ass."  He smirked.

   "Pillow biter…" Malik howled as if he had been reading Yuugi's mind. 

That did Yuugi in. "He's a straight bottom."

   "He likes to go down the Hershey Highway." Malik said before he collapsed to the floor.

    "Naw, man, he likes to grab his ankles and take it—"

   "Now this freaky." Anzu whispered to Jou, "They're gay and they are making gay jokes about a straight."

Jou nodded. "I've never heard Yuugi crack on anyone." He reached behind Anzu and tapped Yuugi on the shoulder. "Yug, what's up? You feeling alright?"

Yuugi stopped laughing long enough to say he was fine then he and Malik went back to their 'top this' contest.  

    "The Pharaoh's hikari is usually so mature." Marik was saying to Bakura, the look on his face was of wonderment. 

    "The pain in his arm is affecting his brain." Anzu said into her drink. The jumped and spat her drink out across the table. She turned on Yuugi; her hands raised as claws, just itching to slide around his little neck.

    "You alright, Anzu-chan?" He asked innocently. 

   "Oh, I'm better than alright," she hissed through clenched teeth. "I have practice tomorrow morning and if I have a bruise or anything difficulties because of my leg, say good-bye to all of your pretty _black_ hair."

    "You have to get to my hair."

   "I'll get to it." She promised.

He met her glare bravely. "And I'll cut off that ponytail of yours." His tone was just a deadly.

   "It is as I said before, when the Pharaoh's away…" Bakura stuck his tongue out at Yuugi. 

Yuugi responded the same. Beside him, Anzu gasped. "Yuugi, the movie starts in fifteen minutes." She shoved Jou aside. 

   "You have sometime—" Jou tried to say. 

   "Not really. I have to go to the restroom and you know long those lines can be." She pushed him; causing Jou to fall against Kaiba and he onto Marik and those two, it was not pretty.

   "We should be going as well." Bakura said over the yelling Marik who promised death to the two mortals. The brown eyed yami grabbed his coat that had fallen to floor with Malik  and then slid out of the booth. "Excuse me, Yuugi, if I may have a moment of your time?"

Yuugi blinked incredulously, he shook it off and nodded once. He slipped out the booth and followed the white haired Yami over to the check out. Much to Yuugi's surprise, Bakura pulled out a wallet and counted a couple bills.

   "Yami would be surprised to see this." He commented as Bakura paid for their drinks. 

   "Not really," he flashed Yuugi a wolfish grin and winked. "Considering the Pharaoh was the one who taught about Japanese currency."

   "My Yami?" Yuugi could not believe it.

The former thief stepped away from the counter and started for the stairs that lead to the theater. "It surprised me when he offered. Before then, I had been practically giving away Ryou's money. Well, I refused to learn at first, but you know persuasive the Pharaoh can be."

   "He kicked your ass." 

   "I see you are familiar with his methods." He motioned for Yuugi to sit, while he rested his hip against the brass banister. 

   "Yami never hits me, I get visits from the Shadows if I misbehave."

  "How many times has that happen?" Asked the curious spirit; Yuugi held up his right index finger. Bakura made a sympathetic sound. "Pharaoh was never one to tolerate disobedience. You were lucky to have survived the experience."

   "It not something I would ever want to go through again." Yuugi fought to sudden urge to run into a patch of bright light. Sometimes he still doubted if it had truly happened. "But to this day, I have done all within my power to keep him happy."

 The other youth snorted, "You knew he was crazy when you two got together."

   "He's not crazy, Bakura."

  "He's not a nice chap either. But he does love you, which could either be good or bad." Bakura brushed some lint off his navy blue v-neck sweater. "And that brings me to my point."

   "What did Yami say?"

   "Marik and I know what has happened to you." He dropped down to knee before Yuugi and stared at the into the boy's horror filled eyes. "We knew something had happened to you when you disappeared, but not what." He looked away, suddenly feeling awkward with the situation. "The Pharaoh has ordered us to watch over you until he returned or we forfeit our lives."

A strangled sound escaped Yuugi's lips, his face a twisted mask of agony as stared at the yami holding him. "He told you?" His voice broke off as he began to hyperventilate 

   "Yuugi," Bakura said sharply. He shook the boy in hopes of getting him to calm down. When that failed, Bakura slapped him as he called Yuugi's name again.

But Yuugi was beyond Bakura's reach. He could hear her again. Her mad laughter filled his ears drowning out all other sound. Helplessly, Yuugi was trapped by his fear and her voice.  Before him, Bakura continued to speak, completely oblivious to Yuugi's plight, leaving the youth a captured prisoner for the bright angel.  

Kami, why couldn't she just leave him alone.

   "He now surrounds you with his dark servants. Soulless being like himself, who basks in the light of other innocences. But never again, my sweet one." She knelt behind Yuugi; her cold, pale white hands rested on his shoulders. She leaned forward until her mouth was next to his left ear. "We both know that these two weak creatures will not keep me from you.

God, it was too much for him. 

  "One body, one soul..." She touched her lips to his ear.  

His world started to dim; everything was becoming dark. He reached out desperately for something to keep him in the light.

She drew slowly, a satisfied grin on face. "You are mine."

    "Yuugi!" Bakura shouted as he lunged forward and caught the boy. Behind him, someone screamed, but it went unheard as Bakura tried frantically to revive the Pharaoh's light.

    _"You are mine."_

                                                   *******

He never wanted them to find out this way.

Yuugi found he could no longer bear the slight horrified, shocked, and sadden faces of his closest friends. He sent them away, but asked Anzu to stay with him in the cold, sterile hospital room.

Sugoroku stayed long after the nurses had checked by. Yuugi had to stay at the hospital overnight, just for observations. The doctor had said that he was slight dehydrated and despite having been asleep for almost week, Yuugi was exhausted. What he need was some rest and fluids, but other than that, Yuugi was a healthy, normal seventeen-year-old girl.

    "A girl?" Jou had shrieked. 

Yuugi had sat in a cubical with an ugly green curtain with his short legs dangling over the side of the examination table as he listened to his friends cries of disbelief. Yami's sweatshirt lay in small pile on the floor, with Yuugi's old shoes and bandana. The emergency room techs had left on his ring and his tee shirt. That had been considerate of them. Yet still…

   "What do you mean Yuugi's a girl?" Jou asked again when they were allowed into his room. 

Mokuba was watching Yuugi with haunted eyes while his brother looked with a strange expression that Yuugi did not want to understand. Mai was perplexed yet she managed to get Jou to calm down before he could say or do something stupid like blame Yami. Malik seemed to have already known, his yami must have told him. Still, it was the horror and fear on his face coupled with knowledge that the same thing could have happened to himself and his gratitude that it did not, had made Yuugi sick.  

Yuugi lay in the hospital bed staring out the window at the city. Moonlight drifted over the machines and minuscule furnishings, casting it all in a weird glow. Anzu shifted behind him, her right arm settled around Yuugi's waist as she mumbled something incoherently in her sleep.  

Yuugi had searched every inch of the park, but he still hadn't found Yami and it was now getting late and he still hadn't checked the small grove of trees at the west end of the park. Yuugi pulled his uniform blazer close as he looked at the menacing shadows that hid among the trees.

   //I am here, Yuugi.// The comforting presence of Yuugi's best friend wrapped about him. 

  /Yami, what's wrong?/ He allowed his fear and concern filter through their link so Yami would know how worried he had been. 

There was a silence on the other end. The wind started to pick up; it started to pull at Yuugi's spiked hair and his blazer. Yuugi reached up to tuck his bangs behind his ears. /Yami?/ he started towards the wood.

   _//I am fine, Yuugi.// Yuugi did not believe him. Yami sighed mentally //Why are you here, aibou?//_

   _/Ji-san told me that your tutor called. He said you did not make it to your tutorials./_

  _//I missed one session--// He said dismissively._

  /I would hardly call not going all week uone session/u. Grimes, Yami! I had let you share my memories so you would understand the basics. So has Ji-san, he let you gleam or share his memories; but we can't do more for you, Yami. You have to go to you tutorials or you will fail the National Exams./ 

_  //I do not care for your tone, aibou.//_

   _/I don't care for you lying to me and Ji-san./ Retorted the younger boy. /You're the one who said you wanted live like us. You were the one who went to Ji-san and said you wanted live like a normal kid. We've done everything to make this transition easier for you. Yet this is how you repay Ji-san generosity. You lie to us…/ _

   //I will not tolerate--// he stopped mid-rant. Yuugi felt remorse coming from him. //I have did not lie to you, Yuugi.// he finished quietly. 

_The crunch of dry grass underneath a steady footfall altered Yuugi to the fact that someone was behind him. He turned around and there stood Yami. For a long moment, they stood there, neither moving to close the gap between. Yuugi felt as if he had thrust onto a precipice, with nothing there put a drop and the ground crumbling under his feet. The look in Yami's eyes seemed to challenge him to take that final step. To the leave the last of himself behind completely surrender to the one he trusted and cared for most in this world._

_Yuugi was not ready to take that step, he wasn't sure he wanted to. What Yami wanted was wrong? Wasn't it? Yuugi did not know, but he was angry with Yami for_ _putting him in this position. He wanted to be friends with Yami and he thought they were, but now, Yuugi did not know. Absently, he wondered why couldn't Yami just let their relationship remain as it was. Why was Yami pushing him for something more? _

Yami muttered something under his breath before he threw himself down on the ground. He turned his turbulent eyes to Yuugi. The intensity of the stare made him uncomfortable. Yuugi bent to scooped up a handful of pebbles, thus breaking connection and the spell Yami had cast on him. 

   _"Your teachers all say that you're doing well, better half of your class. Michiba-sensei told Ji-san that you might make the honor roll, but that's only if you score high on your next test in Japanese. " He chucked a couple stones at the trees in the distance. _

    _"I fail to grasp the importance of such a class." Yami raised his red eyes to the sky. "I just want to over with." A low chuckle drew his attention to his aibou. Yami regarded him curiously. "Did I say something that amused you, Yuugi?" He asked coolly._

Yuugi knew it bothered Yami if anyone laughed at him. It took some effort but Yuugi managed to regain a measure of control; He made a mental note to share that little part of their conversation with Ryou. The other boy would understand more than his other friends would since he, too had a yami. 

Out of nowhere, Yami asked, "Why do you turn away from me, hikari?" 

Taken off guard by the question, Yuugi stared quizzically at him. Yami said it again, this time making it a statement. "I don't turn away from you, Yami." He replied thought still confused. "You're my best friend." 

   "Jou is you best friend." Yami reminded him.

  _"And so are you." Yuugi said honestly. He was hurt that Yami would doubt his sincerity.  _

   _"If that were true, why do you turn away from me when I try to get close to you?" _

Yuugi could not believe that they had come back to this. Kami, why couldn't Yami accept that he was not ready to do this? He wanted to yell at the other boy that he was only fourteen. Damn! He was still a child in so many ways and there was so much about himself he did not know and he was still trying to understand. Why was Yami pushing him?

   "Yuugi."

He closed his hands over the rocks, pressing them between his palms. "You know," he said quickly. "I could go for some cocoa." His smile was too bright and his body was tensed.

Yami started to deny him. Yuugi could see that Yami  had wanted continue, but he didn't, giving the boy a brief respite.  Yami smiled up at the boy and said, "My treat?"

Yuugi graced him with a genuine smile. "If you want." 

   _"I still have all of my allowance and knowing you, you've already spent all of yours." He pushed himself to feet. He removed his uniform blazer and tied it around his waist. "Besides, I like doing things for you, hikari?"_

Yuugi gently eased out the hospital bed. Anzu rolled over into his spot and grabbed his pillow. Yuugi reached back and pulled the thin green spread over her, and then he slipped off the bed completely. He went over to his grandfather and adjusted the blanket on his shoulders. 

                                                         *******

Night changed into day. The sleepy town slowly came to wake as the sun made it's way across the heavens, bringing life to everything it touched. Along with it came the promise of rebirth and hope.

   "Yuugi?" Anzu yawned as she brushed her hair away from her face. "Where—" Her eyes fell on the tiny figure seated beside the window. "Yuugi?" She called his name again.

The boy placed his right index finger to his lips and then he pointed to something behind her. Anzu glanced over her shoulder to see Sugoroku sound asleep in a chair. She nodded and started to slip from the bed, but Yuugi waved her off. 

She looked hurt and confused.

Yuugi had turned his face away and continued to watch the sunrise. In his head he could hear her mad laughter. The deranged angel was a memory now and she may have left an irreparable stain on his soul. However, he was not defeated. 

He did not know this was done to him. Yuugi felt dwarfed by the challenges he knew that awaited him, the worst he feared he would face alone, but he was not beaten. He had withstood more difficult challenges in his short time. 

   "…You will get through this." Sugoroku promised. "You fought to live when you were born. You survived the loss of your parents and you fought to save me. I know you, Yuugi. You are not a quitter;  you have never backed down when it came to something you believed in and I refuse to let you start doubting yourself now. You will get through this; I will be at your side every step of the way. I won't let you fall."

Yuugi drew in a shuddering breath. He turned back to his grandfather; he wanted to 

say…What could he say? 

Slowly, Sugoroku came around to his grandson. He cupped the beautiful little face in his hands, bringing it down so he could reach his brow. Tenderly, he kissed Yuugi's forehead then he looked into to boy's eyes so there would never be any doubt in his mind concerning his sincerity. 

    "You will not face this alone. I will do whatever it takes to help you. I love you. I love you."

   "You are stronger than you think." He repeated the words his grandfather had said to him just the day before. Tears glistened in his lavender eyes, but they did not fall. Yuugi drew his knees to his chest and touched his brow to them.

   /_I will not give up you./ He reached out with his heart and soul and touched Yami's. /And I will not allow you to give me. You belong to me, Yugioh. I will not let you leave me. This obsession goes both ways./_

Thousands of miles away, Yami stood on the balcony of his suite that over looked Central Park. He had come to clear his head and mentally prepare for his first round of interviews before his duels. 

Pegasus was here, to promote his latest game and the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Along with reps from other big name gaming companies and the industry leaders. The people from Konami and Capcom would not let up their pursuit of him. He was the most

recognizable face in Duel Monsters and Dungeon Dice and he had endorsement contracts with Pegasus and a few others, which was an enough for him. Yami was not looking to take on anymore contractual duties, especially if it meant him spending less time with Yuugi.  

Yuugi.

Yami rubbed at headache that had made a permanent home for itself in the center of his brow as he tried to relax. He knew the cause of his headache, it had been plaguing him all week, but he chose not to stop it. 

  "_Mry_." He said into the night. 

  "Yo, Yami." Otogi called from inside, "The people from PlayStation Magazine are here."

He opened his eyes and raised them to the heavens. He did not want anyone here. He wanted Yuugi.

Yuugi.

   _/I won't lose you./ Yuugi continued his assault against the mental wall Yami had erected between them. /You belong to me! I know you hear me, Yugioh! I know you can feel everything I'm feeling and it's hurting you. It's going to continue to hurt, because I'm won't stop until you accept that you are mine and that you can't walk away from me./_

Yami closed the barrier completely and erected another wall to drown Yuugi out of his mind completely. He hated this situation! Having this issue come between he and his hikari was absurd. He should have tried to make some type of amends with Yuugi before he left. Yet he had been so angry at the world and with himself; furthermore, Yami blamed himself for what had happened to Yuugi. 

   "Yami!" Otogi shouted. "I'm going down to tell them that you're running a bit late." 

The door slammed shut leaving him alone. Yami placed his hands on the cold wrought iron railing and he let head fall forward. The wind picked at and toyed with his hair and the tails of his open shirt. The cold late autumn winds nipped at his exposed flesh. The stinging bites were forms of punishment Yami allowed nature to inflict on him. He deserved much worst, however, he was never a masochist.  Still, Yami felt as if should suffer in some way. 

Behind him the curtains were brushed aside the same time he became aware of another

heartbeat. It was Honda, the only one of Yuugi's friends that Yami did actually considered as his friend as well. 

Honda pulled his overcoat closer as he came to stand beside the lightly garbed former

Pharaoh. "Man, Yami, you must have ice water in your veins if you can stand be out here with your shirt open." He commented.

Yami reply was a disdainful snort. 

  "I'll take that as a yes." The taller youth laughed at his own humor. 

    "You did not come out here to talk about the weather." Yami looked up at him through his curtain of hair. "What it is?"

     "Well it's three things." Honda leaned forward slightly; the streets of New York were still pack, even on a freezing night such as this. "That reporter for PlayStation is waiting for you in the lobby."

      "Otogi went down to greet them."

      "It's a she and she's hot." Honda whistled. "I'm going to ask her out."

      "Don't come crying to me when she turns you down."

      "Have I ever?"

      "Yes." Yami smirked, "What else?"

      "The limo is here, complements of Pegasus, of course."

       "Of course." Only the best for the man who made Pegasus' company billions of dollars just by wining a few duels. 

       "And it's fully loaded: Mini bar, television, game systems, telephones, and Internet. All it's missing is the hot tub."

        "What will I do without a hot tub?" Yami sobbed.

Honda punched him in the arm. "Asshole."

Yami laughed. "You wish you were me, Honda. Admit it."

       "I wish I had your money, but I wouldn't want to be you."

The older youth straightened. Yami stretched his tight back muscles and everyone who was

looking, got a sight of his strong, well-defined chest, and perfectly cut abdomen.

Honda looked away in disgust.  "I go to the gym every freaking day and I can't get a six pack like that."

      "It's call good genes." Yami told him. He dropped his arms and then started to button his shirt. 

      "I know you have personal trainer, Yami."

      "What I have is boyfriend who leaves me sexually frustrated thee times a week because he wants to study." He turned on his heel and headed back inside. "I have to do something to keep from jumping him."

      "At least you're getting yours regularly. It's poor slobs like me who ain't getting enough."

Yami picked up his watch from the oak writing table. "Try monogamy." 

Honda puffed his chest out. "If you looked as good I do…"

   "I look better." Yami sat down on a chaise and reached for his boots.

    "If you, _Yami_, had been blessed with my good looks."

    "You look like a Japanese Ben Affleck." 

    "I know." Honda preened.

    "I meant that as an insult."

   "I'll take it as a complement anyway." He flashed Yami a cheeky grin.

    "Your ego makes mine look humble." The Pharaoh shook his head and laughed. "What was the third thing."

 The laughter died on Honda's face, his expression turned heavy. Instinctively, Yami

prepared himself for bad news.

    "Yami," he said quietly. "Yuugi's in the hospital."

     "What?" 

     "He passed out at movie theater last night and he was taken to the hospital—"

Yami surged to his feet and grabbed his cell phone at his bedside. "Why didn't you tell me

this earlier?" He demanded. "Hell, if he's not alright—"

       "No, no," Honda said quickly. "He's alright, man. The doctors just wanted him to stay overnight—"

       "Why didn't Ji-san telephone me?" Yami wondered aloud as dialed the number for the shop. 

        "Jou called and left a message with the front desk asking me to call him." Honda explained.

Yami held up his right hand, telling Honda to be silent. "Ji-san, it's Yami. Honda just

told Yuugi was taken to the hospital last night. Call me as soon as you get this message. Damn, what the hell happened to him? Oh, call me. Bye." He dropped down on the bed and stared at far wall. "I told him not to leave the house. I left strict orders… I took wallet and his secret stash. What the hell was he thinking…"

       "Uh, Yami?" Honda ventured cautiously.

        "What?" He snapped.

Honda swallowed hard. "I don't know how to say this, but it freaking Jou out…"

Yami fixed his murderous red eyes on the quaking youth. "Just say it."

He took a deep breath and said, "Yuugi has tits."

Yami blinked.

Honda gave him a long, searching look. Yami continued to sit there with the same murderous look in his eyes, but that was it. Confused, Honda tried it again. "Dude, your

boyfriend has vagina."

       "I know." Was all Yami said.

He assumed Yami was in shock or something, so Honda a third time. "Yami, Yuugi has breast, a vagina, and he looks like a damn girl."

       "He is a girl." Yami replied evenly. 

       "So you know?"

He nodded.

Honda drew in a deep breath and folded his arms across his chest. "You knew Yuugi was a girl?"

       "Yeah."

       "When did this happen?"

        "Last Sunday." Yami glanced at his watch. They had to leave or he was going to be late. 

        "Why didn't you guys tell us?"

        "It's between us." Yami stood up and pocketed his phone just in case Sugoroku called him back on it. 

        "Yuugi's our friend," Honda protested, "Didn't you think we would have wanted to be there for him." He couldn't believe how blasé Yami was being about this. "Damn it, Yami…"

He had been in the process of sliding into his overcoat, but he stopped. Yami met Honda's

accusing stare and the other took a step back in fear. Yami started to speak, but though better of it and continued to dress himself for the outdoors. 

       "Go find Otogi and that reporter." Yami picked up the black case that held his dueling deck and opened it. "I will be down in a few minutes."

        "Dude, I didn't mean…"

Unreadable crimson eyes in an expressionless mask caused him to pause once again. Honda looked away, shamed by his own action. "I'm going." He turned away and started

for the door.

Yami took out his deck and shuffled through the cards quickly. "Twenty bucks say she will

turn you down after five seconds." 

Honda glanced back at the smirking Pharaoh. He returned the cocky grin with one of his own. "No one can resist my manliness. She'll be begging to come up to my room."

         "Twenty?" Yami challenged.

         "You're on." 

Everything was alright with them again. Yami put his cards away and closed the case. If

only everything else could be handled so easily, his life would have been remarkably simple. 

He took up the case and card key to his room. Now was not the time to delve into that. He

had to focus and be sharp. He had five duels to get through before the night was over and after that, he would allow himself to think about this mess.

With that thought firmly fixed in his mind, Yami left his suite ready to take on the

so-called top duelists in the world. 

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**

Translations:

Mry-beloved


	6. Chapter Six

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

I hate short chapters. But I'm going out a of town and I will not be writing for two weeks.

This have to make you people happy.

Yes, people, Yami's an ass in this and Yuugi swears and behaves like a guy and everyone has a foul mouth, but that's what makes this a fun read. ^_^!

Please Review.

Chapter Six

She was still with him. She was still apart of him and there wasn't anything Yuugi could do to rid himself of her. 

It was an early Sunday morning, the sky was over cast and the breeze in the park had a little bite to it as Yuugi and his grandfather went around the bike trail. Yuugi usually ran this particular path twice on weekends and once every weekday; But today, Yuugi could hardly make it through his run. He came to a slow running stop in the middle of trail. Up ahead, his grandfather brought his bike to stop and glanced back at the youth. 

Yuugi had bent at the waist with his hand resting on his knees. He looked up and waved his grandfather on. Sugoroku hesitated but continued on leaving Yuugi.

 Yuugi stood up and walked off the trail. He pushed his back the hood of his fleece jacket. He really shouldn't have let his grandfather continued without him, Yuugi silently scolded himself; his grandfather had just begun his exercise routine and he could have a heart attack going around the trail if he wasn't careful. 

   "This isn't fair." Yuugi dropped down on a small pile of leaves and pulled his knees to his chest. "What did I do to deserve this?" He wondered aloud. This body was too soft and weak. Carrying his school bag around at home had been a chore. After he had left the hospital yesterday, Yuugi had tried to clean his bedroom. Anzu and Jou had to help him since Yuugi's muscles started to cramp and strain after an hour of light housework. Then there was that incident at the mall that Yuugi did not want to think about. He was just grateful that Bakura and Ryou had shown up when they had. Bakura rescued Yuugi and Anzu from three guys who just refused to leave them alone. 

   "Yami's gonna go into conniptions after he hears about that." The boy muttered in disgust. "I'm going to forbidden from ever leaving the house except to go to school." he picked up a handful leaves and crumbled them between his palms. "I just bet that will please that psychotic bitch. She'd like nothing more than for Yami to start locking me in my room just so I can start hating him and then she would win. That sneaky witch, that's not going happen, I would kick Yami's ass before that happens."

Still there was Yami and his over reaction to what had happened to Yuugi. 

When Yami had gotten his memories back it was hellish three weeks for them. Yami had no happy memories. His life had been filled with deceit and betrayal and dark magic almost from the beginning. The few bright spots in Yami's bleak, malevolent existence were at first with his mother who died when Yami was very young and then some lover Yami had, but the memories of that person were also twinge with betrayal. Yuugi never knew the sex of the person, Yami never talked about it except to say he was betrayed by one he loved. There was also Yami's stepmother. From what Yami had told him, that woman had it in for Yami from the start. She had turned Yami's father against him and had tried to remove Yami from the line of succession. She succeed in having Yami's father name her son the heir, but of  course Yami killed the boy and the rest of her children before moving on to his father and her. It had scared Yuugi to see the cruel gleam of triumph in Yami's eyes when he told him how he had let her live after he had taken his father's throne. She was powerless, a foreign Princess in his realm with no one to protect her from him. He branded her a witch, stripped her of titles and luxuries, and tossed her into his father's harem where she was used by all of his father's loyal servants.  Degrading the Queen had been part of Yami's plan to break the once proud and powerful woman. Yami hated her with passion that survived the grave. He did not end his torment of the woman until she called him Pharaoh and acknowledged him as her lord and master. 

Yuugi had nightmares about the fallen Queen's death for a month after that and it still sent a chill down his spine when he though about it. It was sick; a product from a depraved mind, but that person no longer existed. Yami may never be known as a humanitarian, and he would sure as hit someone before offering to assist them; yet he was basically a decent guy. 

   "Who are you trying to convince, Yuugi? This is the same guy who sent you to the Shadow Realm because you wanted to grow a goatee." Not that he would ever have that problem again, the only facial hair girls had were baby fine mustaches, he snorted contemptuously.  

Yuugi let the crumpled leaves trickle through his fingers.  He sighed softly to himself as he drew his knees up closer and rested his head on them. He missed Yami. 

                                                  *******

Yuugi looked a bit like his old self on that Sunday morning; Or that was what Jou wanted to believe. 

The two were setting up a new display the game shop. Yuugi had called Jou earlier that morning asking if he wanted to help him out while his grandfather went to pick up Yami and the others from the airport. Jou agreed and was there just as the senior Motou was walking out of the store.

Two later, Jou was sitting across from his best friend on the in the store front window gawking openly at his chest.

It was hot in the shop, with the heart going full blast and Yuugi had felt comfortable enough around his friend to take off the oversized bulky sweater he had pulled on that morning and work in a simple tee shirt. 

It was nothing out of the ordainary, he had done it hundreds of times in the past so the though that it might be distracting to his friend never crossed his mind. 

Yuugi opened a pack of the special duelist edition of duel monsters' card and poured them out on the floor between them.

   "Man, these are so cool." Excitement rushed through him as Yuugi scooped the cards up and fanned them out. "Check'em out, Jou," he held the cards out to the fellow duelist. "Our rookie cards."

With regret, Jou tore his eyes from Yuugi's high, plump breast to look at the cards the his hands; His eyes lit up in genuine delight as he plucked  his card from Yuugi's hands. "Oh, yeah, this is what I'm talking about." He crowed, checking out his dueling stats. He raised his eyes to Yuugi who was reading the back of his card as well and he asked, "This are like collectors, right?"

Yuugi nodded. "Limited edition trading cards from the first and second Duelist Kingdom Tournaments." He put the cards down and reached for one of the rolled up posters. "You might as well grab a permanent markers, dude, we've got some posters to autograph as well as some of these cards before we frame them."

Jou laughed, "All apart of being a celebrity, huh?"

Yuugi reached up and pushed his hair over his shoulder and stretched, "Celebrity my ass." He snorted, "I'm a washed up duelist everyone who's faced Yami wants to beat and you—"

  "Don't start." The blond duelist warned.

   "Yeah, well," he unrolled the poster and Jou watched as the happiness drained from Yuugi's face. 

He moved over to Yuugi's side and put his arm around his slim shoulders. "Yug?" concern mirrored in his voice. 

Yuugi shied away from his friend's touch, a touch that was not all that brotherly or friendly as it used to be and he stood up. "Mokuba would go nuts if Yami and I were to both autograph this." He went over to the sales counter for a roll of tape.

Jou had stood up as well. He started towards Yuugi, "Yuu—" He started.

   "I'm hungry." He interrupted him. Yuugi went around the counter and found his grandfather's petty cash box. "How about you run down to the bakery and grab us a couple of cinnamon buns and lattes? Man, all this work?" He shoved some money into Jou's hands and almost pushed him out of the door. Jou tried to protest but Yuugi threw Jou's jacket into his arms and rushed him out with a half pleading look that melted the taller boy's resistance. 

Reluctantly, Jou left to do as Yuugi's ask. As he closed the door behind himself, Jou could not help but be proud of himself.  Today was the first time he had felt confident enough to make a move on Yuugi. Why shouldn't he? All of Domino knew Yami was gay, the guy looked like a homo, at least that was Jou thought. And yeah, Yuugi was gay, too. He could have a little bi curious, Jou didn't know for sure, but he always suspected that Yuugi a little thing for Anzu and this last week seemed to confirm it. Jou found nothing wrong with that, he was bisexual himself. When it came to getting laid, he didn't care if it was coming from chick or a dude, just as long as Jou got some. However, when it came to love, it didn't matter about the sex of that person and he had waited patiently for love to finally come his way.

It had started out so easily. Yuugi was his best friend, everyone used to note how close they were. It was Anzu who first said mentioned that Jou and Yuugi were just like brothers and Jou had been fine with that. Then fast forward to the Battle City Tournament. In that duel Yuugi had defied Yami to save Jou from Marik's control and had almost died in the process. Jou was still pretty young and he didn't know what the new feelings he had for Yuugi were at them, but he knew he would have done anything for Yuugi, anything; He was devotion was without limits when it came to his friend.

Then Yami and Yuugi separated and Jou found himself being pushed aside as Yami made a place for himself in Yuugi's life. Yami always needed Yuugi's attention. Yuugi couldn't go anywhere or do anything without that freaking dead Pharaoh hanging around except for school and soon not even there. Yuugi was in advance classes and his friends only saw him in the hallway and at lunch. Then when Yami started going to school, they were lucky if they saw Yuugi at all. The two were together more than they were apart. The happiest day of Jou's life was when Yami graduated from high school. By this time Jou had recognized what his new found feelings for Yuugi as what they were. The worst day of his life came about two years ago. 

He had shown up at the Motou's one afternoon. It was summer break, the weather was hot, and it was a great day to go to the beach or the local pool. It was just a typical summer's day. 

Sugoroku had told him to go on up; He had said that Yami and Yuugi were studying. The old man laughed about that, so did Jou as if it were a private joke or something; Those two were always studying especially since Yami was going to KO University in the fall. Jou remembered thinking that Yami was a lucky SOB to have gotten into the school and he didn't think the one time Pharaoh had gotten in on his "good grades" alone. 

He pushed those thoughts out of his head; he didn't know all that much about Yami and he still though the guy could read minds if he wanted to despite what Yuugi had said. Yami had whooped Kaiba's ass three times just for looking at him the wrong way, Jou was sure that the former spirit had taken a peak into Kaiba's head and didn't like what that bastard had been thinking. 

Jou was removing his shoes when he heard a loud thump coming from somewhere in the apartment. He stepped out of shoes and came further into the house. He checked the empty living, the television was off as was the stereo; It was when he started towards the kitchen, Jou heard something hit a wall and break. He started to race up stairs when he heard Yuugi cry out for Yami.  The boy sounded as if he were in pain and on the verge of tears. Jou reached Yuugi's room—he remembered the bedroom door being open, not cracked or flung fully wide; it was just opened—Jou remembered reaching the door and coming to a complete stop. What happened after that, he couldn't recall. He just remembered kneeling on broken glass and debris as he retched in an alley far away from the Kame Game Shop and the Motou's house. 

A few days later, he had come stumbled across the two in the park. Yami had Yuugi pressed between himself and tree and the two were devouring each other's mouths and it all came back to him in a blinding rush. He had seen them together, having sex on Yuugi's bed. Yami and Yuugi…Jou vowed to never forgive Yami for this and in the same breath he promised to one day have Yuugi. Now he had his chance.

Yuugi was a girl and Yami was gay. Now it was only a matter of time before that asshole came out and told Yuugi he didn't want him anymore and then good ol' Jou would be there to pick up the pieces.

Jou could not keep the smile from his face as he realized that his fondest wish was about to become true. Wasn't life just grand?

                                                       ********

Yuugi let out a sigh of relief once Jou was gone. He looked out at the empty store before he pushed off the door. On his way back to the window display, Yuugi snagged his discarded sweater and pulled it back on. 

If it was Kaiba then it was his best friend, he though grimly as he tugged the sweater over his unnatural abundance. The last thing Yuugi wanted was for Yami to jump on Jou for this—Or maybe he was just being paranoid. 

   "Yeah, that's it." Yuugi mumbled as he flipped through the cards he was going to add to the display and the ones he was going to have autographed. 

A while later, Yuugi had put the last of the poster and finished with the display. He raised the shade on the shop door and opened up for business. It was a quarter after nine when the bell on the door twinkled. Yuugi was on the phone with a Mokuba, letting the kid now about the new shipment that had arrived when someone called out his name.

The young duelist jumped. He turned around quickly and with a whoop, Yuugi dropped the receiver as he leapt over the counter and pounced on Honda. 

   "Whoa!" The brown haired boy took a step back. He caught Yuugi in a headlock and started to give him a nuggie. "You little punk. Is this how you greet a guy who brought you a gift?"

   "What you get me?" Yuugi demanded as he shoved his left elbow into Honda's side. 

The taller youth shoved him away, "I've give you a hint. It's from a chick with a secret."

   "I don't get it?"

Honda pointed at Yuugi's chest and winked. "Yami's going to like it." He stepped past Yuugi to check out the new cards in the display case. 

Yuugi turned around and looked at his friend, puzzlement clearly written on his face as he tried to piece it together. The light bulb went off it and with it went Yuugi's temper.

   "You fucking hentai," He shrieked wildly; Yuugi took a flying leap and landed on Honda's back. "Man, I'm going to kick your—"

Honda had anticipated this reaction but not the violence of it. Yuugi was sitting up on Honda's back like he was riding a horse and he was using Honda's hair as the reins. Honda retaliated by grabbing two fistfuls of Yuugi's tri coloured locks and was pull them.

   "Oww, let go of my hair, you son of a bitch," Yuugi yelled even as he pulled tighter more on Honda's head.

Honda let out a shrill scream that was almost feminine in it's pitch. "I'm going to kick your—"

_   //Hikari.//_ The mental command slashed through mind causing the boy to cry out in pain.

Honda realized Yuugi was no longer playing around. Yuugi had let go of him and was now climbing down from his back. Honda let go of the boy's hair  and turned to the doorway where Yami stood. 

Yuugi collapsed against the case, with his hands to his head and his eyes closed tight as if in pain. Yami did not move to help him; He just continued to stand in the door with his arms crossed over his chest, watching impassively while Yuugi suffer…

   "I'm going!" Yuugi burst out. "Damn it—" He winced again. He almost fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, Yami."

 Yami relaxed his stance and picked up the bags at his feet. "Shouldn't you be resting?" 

Yuugi nodded numbly as Yami came towards him. "I—I'm going…Where's Ji-san?"

   "He's coming." Yami told him. _//Go to your room. We need to talk.//_

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: Girl Trouble  
Author: Sean Wright  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.  
  
  
  
Hello!  
Thank the heavens Thanksgiving is over and I lived through it!   
  
Wow, you guys are wonderful! Thanks for the reviews. They are fun to read and  
frightening enough give a great deal of insight into who the audience is. (No, really  
that's a good thing.)  
  
  
  
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Alright boys and girls. I've kissed up and thanked those I could. Thank you all for  
reading and hey, review if you want.  
  
Now, on with the fic.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
  
  
He was not going to cry. He was not going to cry. Saying it didn't mean he could stop it from happening.  
  
Yuugi wiped ineffectively at his still streaming eyes that were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses.   
  
He had come back to where all his troubles had started; the fountain in the mall. He had been there for awhile, watching Sunday afternoon shoppers stroll by, kids running around, and it's life as usual for the rest of the frigging world.  
  
It would have been better had Yami just broken up with him. That was something he could have handled that or he would have after he had come to terms with it—Who the hell was he kidding? Yuugi knew he would have killed Yami if he had attempted to end their  
relationship.   
  
"Here, Yuugi." Ryou held out a sealed brown Styrofoam cup with the logo of his favorite coffee shop on it. "Mocha cappuccino with whole milk, no whipped cream or sprinkles."  
  
Yuugi took the cup gratefully. Ryou had sat down beside him and ripped the lid off his own drink and blew on it. Yuugi dropped his elbows on his legs as he started morosely down at the titled floor.  
  
Ryou took a long sip of his green tea, out of the corner of his left eye, he watched his small friend worriedly. He had been surprised when Yuugi showed up at him home that afternoon. He knew the Pharaoh was back and had naturally assumed that his would spend the day with his lover. One could only imagine his shock when Bakura opened the door to revealed a terrified Yuugi.  
  
Yuugi had rushed into their house, frantically ordering Bakura to close the door while he moved away from the windows. He told them not to tell the Pharaoh he was there, Bakura could not lie to Pharaoh because he would kill him. Yuugi admitted that he had forgotten that and started to leave. He didn't want Ryou and Bakura to suffer because the Pharaoh  
was angry with him. Ryou called out for Yuugi to wait. He rushed up to his room and pulled on a blue turtleneck sweater and a wool jacket and his wallet. Ryou told his yami that they were leaving but not where they going and for good measure, he left his Sennen Ring at home as well as his cell phone.   
  
Yuugi had snuck out of his house through his bedroom window to avoid his yami. He had no money nor anywhere to go. He wanted sometime away from Anzu, he feared he was beginning to rely too much on the girl. And he was being evasive when Ryou asked about Jou. Yuugi didn't want to hang out with them, he claimed to have wanted some peace and Ryou calming presence offered that.   
  
Ryou was flattered of course and honored to keep Yuugi company while he hid from the Pharaoh. Hours of wondering around Domino had finally found the intrepid pair at the mall.  
  
Ryou had finished his tea and was now watching the crowd. A cute girl in a black mini skirt caught his eye. Had Yuugi not been as down as he was, Ryou would have defiantly been at the girl's side and taking her number. But he his friend was down and Ryou put his needs before his own libido.   
  
"So what do you want to do, Yuugi?" He asked.  
  
The boy shook his head. "If I survive going home tonight, I want to try to make things right with Yami."  
  
"But this isn't all your fault. The Pharaoh has no right to place the blame on you."  
  
"I know…"  
  
"And you shouldn't have to take this crap from him. Where the hell are your balls, Yuugi?"  
Yuugi glared at him over his shoulder; Ryou ignored that and went on unaffectedly. "Yuugi, you have changed over the last few years. You meet all of your challenges with bravery and stare down your worst offenders."  
  
"This is different—"  
  
"This is you making excuses for someone who is obviously mistreating you." Ryou cut him  
off.   
  
"I'm not making excuses for Yami. We are having a problem, all couples do."  
  
Ryou shrugged, "Maybe your mistake was becoming a couple with your yami."  
  
And they were back to this. Yuugi sat and ripped the lid off his cooled drink. "I don't question your relationship with Bakura. I know you both fuck whomever you want and each other. That's your life—"  
  
"You're right, Yuugi, it is my life." Ryou reached out and touched Yuugi's shoulder.  
"I'm not living for my yami. My happiness does not depend on wither he shows me  
favour or not. I can toss that ring and let him fade out of existence and it wouldn't effect me the same way losing the Pharaoh would do to you."  
  
"Look, I love him alright." Yuugi grumbled. "And it's not like he's beating on me or cursing  
me out all the damn the time. We're just having a problem…"  
  
"One that might be there for the rest of your life." He moved closer to Yuugi until his  
arm had completely encircled the other boy's shoulder. "This must be very hard on you, hmm?"  
  
A bitter sound escaped Yuugi. "That's the understatement of the century."  
  
Ryou said nothing, he pulled Yuugi closer, gently forcing the boy to rest his head on his shoulder. It took some effort but eventually Yuugi allowed himself to relax in his friend's embrace. The two sat their for a while, watching the crowd. Soon after, the pair left the mall. They hung out at the park. As evening fell, Ryou decided that dinner was in order and after that, they went to a coffee house to listen to some up incoming spoken word artists. Yuugi allowed himself to relax that evening and just had a good time with Ryou.   
  
Speaking of the young Englishman. Yuugi glanced around the darken den and spotted the familiar mop of long white hair at the bar. Ryou was chatting up some pretty little thing with violet hair that was dressed completely in brown. She slipped Ryou a slip of paper and then kissed his right cheek before she went back to her group of friends. Yuugi recognized  
the smothering look in Ryou's eyes and the confident half smile on his face and Yuugi laughed. Ryou had most defiantly been spending too much time around Honda.   
  
Ryou glanced at the number before pocketing it. He nodded at the guy behind the counter and ordered two coffees. Yuugi turned his attention to person on stage and his breath caught in his throat.  
  
The new poet was truly one of the most beautiful male specimens Yuugi had ever seen in anywhere. He was tall, slim, but from beneath the plain grey tee shirt clung to his chest and strong shoulders, the guy had a well developed upper body and as the poem went on and his shirt came off, Yuugi noted the rest of the package was just as pleasing as the arms and shoulders promised. Yuugi knew he was drooling and it didn't help that Ryou had  
decided to return and point that fact out to him.  
  
Yuugi growled at his friend as Ryou continued to laugh at him.   
  
"Why can't you shut the hell up you fucking hyena?" He grumbled as he sipped his drink.  
  
"Oh come off it, Yuugi." Ryou said, with his eyes sparking with mischief. "This is the  
first time I've ever seen you looking at another guy and actually showing some interest in them."  
  
Yuugi pretended to ignore that and continued to sip his drink.  
  
Of course this did not discourage his friend. No, Ryou's crafty mind had already come up with a plan to get his friend out of his slump and hopefully away from that asshole the Pharaoh or at least show Yuugi what he was missing.   
  
And with Yuugi as a girl, it would so easy to do. Especially since Yuugi was hot, delectable girl. If he didn't look at Yuugi as a brother, Ryou knew he would have been tempted. It was only that and his fear of that bastard of the Pharaoh that had Ryou minding his p's and q's all afternoon.  
  
He looked back at the stage and the poet was gathering his shirt and leaving, much to disappointment of the girls and couple of guys in the audience. Ryou excused himself, Yuugi told him to bring back another latté this time without the damned whipped cream.   
  
Grumbling about ungrateful asshole friends and the like, Ryou caught the attention of the guy behind the counter and ordered another latté and pointed to Yuugi in the corner booth. Once that was taken care of, Ryou went off the congratulate the artist on his performance  
and while he was at it, he would causally invite the guy to his booth for a drink and talk about the piece.  
  
Yep, there where no ulterior motives here, folks. It was just going to be a discussion on the arts with two of his friends over a couple espressos.   
  
Ryou got side tracked by a hottie in a tight red sweater. Naw, she was more Bakura's type. So back to his plan.  
  
Yuugi was watching his friend suspiciously. The coffee came, with the hated whipped topping, but Ryou was not with it. Knowing that pimp, he was hitting on his next victim. Yuugi blew out a short breath before taking a long sip of his drink. He had finished his coffee by the time Ryou came back…With the Japanese Adonis with the gorgeous black  
hair and dark brown eyes that fixed not on Yuugi's chest (thank Kami) but on his face. Had Yuugi though it was impossible for the guy look even better, his smile shut Yuugi's brain down.  
  
Ryou was looked from between the two. Neither had spoken and both had stunned yet very pleased expressions on their faces.   
  
Attraction was established now to get them talking.  
  
"Yuugi, this is Hideyo Jin." Ryou dropped down beside Yuugi and waved his hand for him to sit down. "Jin-kun, this is my friend, Yuugi-chan."  
  
Yuugi turned on him so fast, Ryou was surprised he did not have whiplash.  
  
Jin sat down on Yuugi's right side, faraway not to close to be intimidating but close enough to show his interest.   
  
"Yuugi?" He frowned lightly as he turned the name over in his mind. "That is not a very common name."  
  
"My parents were not common either." Yuugi retorted. Under the table he pinched Ryou's closest arm when he wanted to pound the hell out his face.   
  
"You know, Ryou-kun is a regular here," Jin said, drawing Yuugi's attention back to him. "But this is the first time I've ever seen you here, Yuugi-chan."  
  
Yuugi felt a blush stain his cheeks and he wanted to curse his own head off. Damn it, he did not blush. He did not! Still, the light pink stain warmed his cheeks as he said, "Yeah, this is my first time." He bit his lower lip thoughtfully, "So you and Ryou know each  
other?"  
  
Jin laughed softly, "Sort of. His, umm—Bakura, you know him?"  
  
Yuugi nodded.  
  
Jin turned that half shy smile on Yuugi and once again, the boy's mind was turned to mush. "Ryou and I met through Bakura." He noticed the surprised look on Yuugi's face.  
  
Yuugi looked at Ryou questioningly.  
  
Ryou shrugged. "There are many sides to Bakura."   
  
Yuugi could not stop the laughter from bubbling up in chest. "That's true."  
  
"Anyway," he shoved Yuugi in the back, "Jin. You want something to drink? Espresso? Latte? My treat, man."  
  
"Espresso, please." His eyes settled back on Yuugi's. There was defintly some interest there.  
  
Ryou turned his face to cover his amusement. He slid out of the booth and asked, "Yuugi?"  
  
"Latte." He told him. "And no more whipped cream. Or I swear—"  
  
"But that's the best part of the drink." Jin reached out and touched Yuugi's right hand that rested on the tabletop. Their eyes met again and once again Yuugi was blushing. "It makes kisses so much sweeter after…"  
  
Yuugi drew back quickly. "Umm, yeah. My—umm—my boyfriend—he, Yami! Ah, Yami, says the same thing." Was it hot in here? Maybe he should have cut back on the damned coffees. And why hadn't Jin let go of his hand.   
  
"You're seeing someone?" He asked nonplussed.  
  
Yuugi nodded. "Yeah." And that _someone_ was crazy as well as possesive and would kill whomever had dared to touch Yuugi.  
  
"Is it serious?" He coiled his larger hand around Yuugi's tiny one. "I mean—"  
  
"Yami and I are very serious." His voice sounded odd even in his own ears. In a jolt of recognization, Yuugi realized that he liked this guy. Shit, shit, he silently cursed himself. This guy was a complete stranger. He didn't know one thing about him, but that didn't seem all that relevant as Jin continued to stare into his eyes.   
  
"Yami?" Jin moved closer and at the same time he pulled Yuugi towards him until they were almost nose-to-nose.   
  
_"Who?_Yuugi wanted to ask. Kami, Jin had the most beautiful eyes. Something about them seemed to capture the attention and burrow deep into the soul, looking for all of Yuugi's secrets. The boy swallowed hard when he felt Jin's other hand raise his chin slightly.   
"You know, I never thought I would meet someone like you." Jin said quietly.  
  
"Someone like me?"   
  
A slight grin tipped the corners of Jin's lips as he searched Yuugi's face. "Hai, someone I knew I wanted to kiss even before I knew their name."  
  
Kiss him? Kiss him. There was a reason why he couldn't do this, but for the life of him, Yuugi could not remember why? Nothing was important to him now, except that Jin kissed him. He wanted Jin to kiss him.  
  
Jin read the willingness in Yuugi's eyes and moved he moved to close the small gap between them and...And all hell broke loose in the store.   
  
Yuugi did know what happened, but he managed to catch himself on his forearms before before he could hit his head on the table. He looked up and could not believe his eyes.  
Yami and Jin were going at it, the owner and the guy from behind the counter were trying to break up the fight which was quickly becoming a one sided thrashing as Yami, despite his slightly smaller size managed to quickly bring Jin down.   
  
Yami was trying to inflict permanent damage, but the was pulled off Jin. It was the threat calling the police that had Yami backing off.   
  
The former Pharaoh, stepped back, he jerked his arms away from two guys that were trying to hold him back. Yami turned away from them after growling a few threats at Jin before he marched over to where Yuugi still sat, thunderstruck even as Yami licked some blood off  
the corner of his own mouth.  
  
Yuugi felt his entire body go weak as those hard, anger tinted ruby eyes speared his own eyes. He was pulled to his feet, his knees buckled and he fell heavily against Yami. He felt the room begin to swim, his head felt to heavy for him to support.  
  
_//Sleep, hikari//_ Yami said into his mind.   
  
Despite his best efforts, Yuugi surrendered to the darkness.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
When Yuugi awoke, it was to the sound of his alarm clock beeping and the phone at his bedside ringing and sunlight hit him squarely in the face.  
  
He groaned as he rolled onto his stomach and buried his face in pillows as he tried to find that warm spot in his bed. The phone stopped ring but the alarm would not stop sounding and the damn sun was there to stay. Grumbling, the boy threw his pillows from his head and pushed himself up to his knees to glare at the offending timepiece before he smashed it. Only to have his freaking phone ring again.  
  
Well hell, he was awake now and there was no point him trying to go back to sleep. The clock read five-forty. Yuugi swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. He ran a hand through his loose hair and swore when he came across a couple tangles.   
  
He tossed the covers off his body and stood up and headed to the bathroom. On the way he grabbed the phone and snarled out a rough, "What the hell do you want?"   
  
The was gasp on the other end before a familiar voice hesitantly inquired, "Are you alright, Yuugi?"  
  
It was Anzu. He switched the phone to his left ear as he dropped his sleeping pants. "Yeah," he started to yawn, but it was cut off with a startled yelp when his right hand groped the air. With a curse he remembered that he had no dick. Still cursing under his breath, Yuugi turned sat down to pee.  
  
"Ryou told me about last night." Anzu was saying. "I tried call you, but Yami said that you had fainted."  
  
He snorted in discontent. "That bastard put me under a freaking spell is more like it."  
  
The was a pause then she asked the predictable. "Yami can do that?"  
  
On the other end, Yuugi mimicked her question. He wanted to tell her, _'Hell, yeah, the psycho can do that and more when he's fucking pissed off at me.'_ Instead he asked, "What there something else you wanted to ask me, Anzu. Cause if not, I need to take a shit—"  
  
She knew it was a mistake to have telephone Yuugi that early in the morning. The boy was half asleep and that made him ill tempted and crude. Anzu deliberately chose to ignore that last comment and asked Yuugi if he was coming to make it to school that day. He said there was no reason for him not to. Anzu reminded him of the change over in gym class and that they had a verbal test in English. He mumbled something, clearly telling her that he was not listening and then Yuugi hung up.  
  
Yuugi went for his usual run, he came back, showered, dried his hair and got dressed. He thanked his foresight to have ordered a larger blazers before the term started but nothing could be done for his uniform trousers. They were just too long and waist and hips were a too small even for his once narrow waist paints. Growling in frustration, Yuugi had to sneak into Yami's room, which was thankfully empty, to borrow a belt that was long enough for Yuugi to tie around his waist. He went back to his room with his purloined tie and completed his preparations. He had spotted his car keys and wallet on his desk when he returned from his run, but no other sign that Yami had been there. While he was dressing, he had heard Yami go down stairs; A quick, fleeting pain stabbed through Yuugi's heart when Yami did not stop at his door or even called out a good-bye to him.   
  
Yuugi raised his eyes to look at the girl in mirror. Her expression was troubled and he could see the worry in her clear lavender eyes. She was scared, that much was easy to read from her body language, fear and dismay.   
  
She reached up and adjusted the plain dark blue tie that rested on her chest before moving her small hands to the collar of her new crisp white dress shirt. She reached for a simple black hair tie on the desk beside her, with her free hand, she caught her hair at her  
nape, and before she pulled her hair into a stark ponytail. A few unruly golden strains fell about her face ethereal face. Her eyes moved down to her own chest, a self-conscious gesture. She bit her lower lip as she regarded her obscured breast. Even with two sports bras and tape, she felt like they were sticking out. As a last resort, she reached for a scarf and threw it around her neck and breast.  
  
There that had to work. Yuugi though as he grabbed his overly large school pack. He grabbed his wallet and keys and headed down stairs. Yuugi left his bag beside the staircase and he bounded into kitchen to grab a breakfast bar only to come up short.  
  
There, seated at the kitchen table with his notebook computer sat Yami.   
  
The former Pharaoh was the picture of the modern academic. In his black v-neck sweater and dark gray cords and reading glasses with two of his textbooks open at his left elbow, Yami was simply a gorgeous and unexpected sight for Yuugi. And down when the boy's brain  
again. He was really begin to hate that crazy bitch (like he didn't already) but this was the last straw. Hot guys, not just hot guys, gorgeous, completely do able guys were turning his brain to mush. As if yesterday wasn't bad enough.  
  
Sighing in defeat, Yuugi walked past the silent Yami to hunt up some breakfast. He opened the fridge and grabbed an apple and a bottle of juice. He went back to the cupboards over the stove and took the last oatmeal cereal bar before he dropped down in the empty chair across from Yami.   
  
The two sat in what could only be call an awkward silence. Yami's fingers skimming over his keyboard was the only sound to be heard.  
  
Yuugi finished off his breakfast quickly only to realize that he was still hungry. He raided the breadbox for a bagel. While that was in the toaster, Yuugi devoured the last of the cookie dough.   
  
Yuugi nibbled on the raw dough, watching Yami through worried eyes. This was not a normal morning for them. Yuugi was still fully clothed and not pressed up against a wall or down on the floor having something licked off his body by a ravenous Yami. Hell, he hadn't  
been kissed in a full week and he was damned near crazy with wanting Yami. But there was nothing he could do, nothing he came to mind that could ease this tension between them and hell, it was starting to piss him off.   
  
Damn it, when he walked out of the door today everything was going to be different. He did not want to go out there without a sense of normalcy here. He needed Yami to tell him everything was going to be alright. He wanted that sense of security that he could only  
have with Yami. He wanted…  
  
A spasm of nerves rushed through him. Yuugi tried to swallow only to have his mouth water and his stomach muscles clench. He slapped a hand to his mouth and raced for the downstairs' bathroom.   
  
When Yuugi returned to the kitchen, he found the place empty. He darted out to the living room and found Yami's boots and favorite leather over coat missing. Yuugi sighed as he wearily trooped back to kitchen for his bagel. His stomach knotted when the scent of the onion roll hit his nostrils. He would have to grab something on the way. As of that moment, he had enough to brush his teeth again before he went to pick up Honda and the others.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"Hey, Yuugi, let me drive this morning." Honda opened the driver's side door.  
  
"Hell no, man." Jou was complaining as he went around to the back seat. "Yuugi never let's anyone drives his baby."  
  
Wordlessly, Yuugi moved over to the vacated passenger side. "Thanks, man." He said tiredly. He pulled on his seat belt while Honda fidgeted with the driver's seat. "I've been feeling like shit all morning."  
  
Honda glanced at Ryou in the back seat and nodded once, "What's up, man?"  
  
"Nothing much. But I gotta tell you, Yuugi is a great chick magnet."  
  
Honda shot a breath, "I could have told you that years ago."  
  
"But not like this—" Ryou said with a devilish gleam in his dark brown eyes as he glanced meaningfully at his petite friend. "Last night I took Yuugi to Hitomi's, because my boy Jin was doing his thing on stage."  
  
"Yeah?" Honda asked interestedly. He easily manueved Yuugi's car into traffic.   
  
"I went up to bar to get us a drinks and to find out when Jin was coming out. While I was there, I noticed the bitch eyes that were directed at our 'little friend'…" He smirked paying his homage to Al Pacino and Scarface.   
  
Yuugi honored Mr. Pacino in another manner.  
  
Ryou ignored him and went on with his tale, occasioning being interrupted by Yuugi who promised to kick his ass for using him.  
  
Jou paid the entire conversation no mind until Ryou started talking about the Jin-guy flirting with Yuugi. Yuugi was quick to deny that anything had happened between himself and the other guy, but Ryou kept on insisting and went on talking about a kiss Yuugi shared with the guy. Yuugi of course denied that as well, but Jou had caught sight of the  
telltale little blush that stained Yuugi's delicate face.  
  
At Yuugi's request, Honda pulled in at one of their favorite fast food places and the group ordered breakfast. At the window, Honda and Ryou held up the line by flirting the girl handing them their orders. When someone blew at them, the two yelled out their windows, cursing out the jerks from a prep school around town. That could have led to a brawl but it the tension died down when Yuugi yelled they were going to be late.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Yuugi was cursing his best friends for the state of his car. Both Jou and Honda promised to help him clean it out and Ryou only after Yuugi threaten to kick his ass.  
  
On the way from the student parking lot, Yuugi heard a shrill whistle; he turned around and saw Kaiba leaning against his latest expensive toy. His eyes raked over Yuugi from head to toe, before slowly rising up inch by agonizing inch until they rested on Yuugi angry mottled face.  
  
Yuugi threw off his bag and ready to let that snake have it, but Ryou caught him by the arm and drew him back even as Honda moved to block Yuugi from Kaiba's sight.  
  
Honda had learned that knocking heads was not always the best answer and in a crowded courtyard, it would only get one of them a suspension.  
  
With a cool, calculating look in his eyes, Honda did the last thing anyone would have expected from him.  
  
"Damn, Kaiba." He said loudly, his tone projected wonderment as he watched the arrogant ass. "I though Yuugi was joking when he said you wanted to hook up with him. Damn, I was the last to think you would swing that way, but hey. What's a better way to come out of the closet than having Yami Moto kick you ass for moving on his boyfriend, eh?"  
  
And that was all it took.  
  
A self-satisfied smirk danced across Honda's features as he scooped up Yuugi's bag and handed to the stunned youth.  
  
Yuugi was speechless. Honda had rescued him from the ass whooping and possible suspension. He took his bag from his friend and with malicious glee he could not help but called out. "I told you, Kaiba. You're not my type, even if you are the richest school. You just don't do anything for me." Honda gave him a shove to get him moving.  
  
Yuugi smiled to himself as he took his seat for homeroom. He caught the tail end of one rumor that was already going around. He was the one that rejected the 'Oh-my—no, he's gay' Kaiba.  
  
Yuugi pulled out his English book after part of his conversation with Anzu returned to his mind. She had something about gym, but he had forgotten…Holy mother, crap!  
  
Yuugi's hand flew to his tapered chest. He had been excused from gym since being scheduled that rotten class. He had projects and assisted in the library and had been doing in school tutoring and peer mediation…He had never had to go to gym and had been receiving credit, but all that was over because of his fucking illness. He had to go to gym class until he was rescheduled and that meant today…  
  
He stared wide-eyed and in horror at his opened textbook as all the blood drained from his face. As his right hand clutched convulsively at the front of his shirt. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that Yuugi did not hear the teacher calling his name or see him standing over him.  
  
Panic had set in and when Yuugi came out of it, the school nurse was on the phone with Yuugi's grandfather. The Principle had been informed and everyone wanted answers.   
  
Sugoroku came and gave some bull shit explanation about why he allowed his granddaughter to masquerade as a boy. Yuugi had felt comfortable dressed as a boy, blah, blah. Yes, yes, yes, to whatever else was said. No, there was nothing psychologically wrong with the girl. More, yadda, yadda. Yuugi had bearly heard anything after his grandfather had asked him if he were alright. He occasionally he would tune in, but the shock would set in and he was back to la-la land.  
  
When the questions were directed to him, Yuugi told them that he was a girl, yes, he knew it was wrong to have lied, but he ashamed about being a girl because, someone had touched him inappropriately as child and felt that hiding his gender would protect him and after that, pretending to be a boy only became second nature.  
  
The principle bought it. They even contacted the doctor who gave Yuugi his last check-up and yes Yuugi was a healthy, normal girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yuugi went home that afternoon with a girl's uniform and schedule change for gym.  
  
He threw the clothes on to his bed and stripped out of his uniform and fell on his bed. Honda and Jou stopped to check on him. Anzu had rehearsals that afternoon and Ryou and Bakura went to Tokyo to catch play.  
  
Yami had come home changed and left for something. Yuugi didn't know what.  
  
Yuugi had gotten dressed and went down to shop to help out his grandfather.  
  
His grandfather wanted to close up early. He was going to have dinner with an old friend. Yuugi, with no plans of his own, told him that he would close up for him and the kept the shop open another hour.  
  
Nothing was happening. It was a slow Monday and Yuugi caught himself nodding off at the counter. He decided to call it a night. He went around the counter, stretching and yawning broadly as he turned the sign around. When he reached for the lock, the door opened, and  
Yuugi jumped back fright.  
  
He looked up quickly at the stranger in dark clothes, ball cap, and sunglasses.  
  
"What the—" He cried out.  
  
The stranger reached up and quickly removed his glasses to reveal a slightly bruised face.  
  
Yuugi started up the once handsome face, his lavender eyes soften as they took in every injury. He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and sighed.   
  
"What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
  
  
  
  
NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh

Hello all and welcome to chapter eight.

I must say this fic is not easy to write. I'm not a guy nor am gay. I don't know how guys, straight or gay, behave around each other. My brother gives me insight on the guy speak but he cringes when I talk to him about the story. But this fic is fun. Lord help me, I love writing this thing.

Enough of that.

Enjoy.

Chapter Eight

Yuugi quickly looked the door behind Jin and he prayed that Yami would not be coming home anytime soon. The last thing he wanted was deal with a fight or a jealous Yami. He turned back to Jin; they guy was checking out the card display with confused look on his face.

Frowning, Yuugi joined him at the display where the new Duelist cards were. Jin looked up at Yuugi when went over to him, he had to know why the guy had sought him out.

"You stalking me or something?" He leaned against the counter, far away to stay out of reach and close enough to his baseball bat hidden on the other side.

A look of confusion crossed Jin's features before he blessed Yuugi with that heart stopping smile.

"Actually, I'm here to get a gag gift for one of my roommates back at the dorms, he's really into Duel Monsters," he said with an off handed shrug. "But hey, I didn't know you worked here, Yuugi."

"You're at university?"

Jin nodded, "Second year at KO U." His eyes lingered over Yuugi's face before he reached out to trace the curve of Yuugi's elegant chin with his forefinger. "What about you?" He asked distractedly.

Yuugi turned his back on Jin and went around the counter to an open display. "I'm still in high school." Yuugi picked up a pack of cards and turned back to Jin. "My fiancé attends KO as well. You know, the guy who was trying to remodel your face with his fists."

The other youth made a dismissive gesture. "He didn't do any serious damage; beside I can hold my own." He picked up the cards and turned the foil pack over in his hands. "So how long have you been working here?"

"I don't work here." Yuugi told him. "This is my grandfather's shop."

"For real?"

Yuugi studied him for a moment then asked. "You really don't know who I am, do you?"

"What? Am I supposed to know you are something?" He reached out, this time touching Yuugi's hair. "Look, I know is that you're a really cute girl I would to hook up with but you're tied down to some asshole who's never heard of ask first before taking a swing another." He flashed Yuugi a lopsided grin that instantly had Yuugi weak at the knees.

A cute girl?

The term caught Yuugi off guard. Jin didn't know him; He saw Yuugi as the rest of the world now did and what he saw was a girl. A cute fucking girl.

"Hideyo-san," he began.

"Jin," the youth corrected.

"Hideyo-san." Yuugi said firmly. "I am not flatted by this constant attention. I get more than enough on a daily basis and I am just fed up with people not respecting me or my relationship. So, man, if you want to buy some cards, go ahead, but I really want you to leave."

"Wait, Yuugi—" Jin said quickly, "I wasn't trying to disrespect your…Okay, I like you, and I want to get to know you…"

"And that would be cool _if_ wanted to friends and all, but I ain't trying to hook up with anyone on the side. You got me? I'm with Yami Moto."

"Alright, alright." Jin held his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything…" He handed Yuugi the pack he had given him earlier. "But I was wondering about one thing, Yuugi."

"Yeah?" he rung up the pack and Jin handed him a bankcard.

Jin waited until Yuugi had finished and handed him a small bag before he continued. He caught Yuugi's chin in a gentle yet firm hold. "I was wondering how you taste."

Before the boy could respond, Jin had captured his lips in an all consuming, mind numbing kiss.

After that day, Yuugi felt as if he life going completely down hill.

It was one thing to be kissed by a stranger, but was something else entirely when you start kissing that person back and enjoying it.

Maybe it was because he had only been with Yami for so long. It could have been that everyone he knew was either his closest friends and like family to him or the complete a-holes who only want to fuck up his life and/or kill him. He could have said that the constant strangeness in his life had him craving a bit of normalcy. It could have been anything, real or imaginary; yet it was when Yuugi began to have doubts about his relationship with Yami he felt the first real shaft of panic in go through his entire body.

Sure, his life could have been simpler if his grandfather never given him the Sennen puzzle, but then he wouldn't have had all those amazing adventures nor met the people he called his friends. Or Yami.

He would have just continued through life, oblivious to everything around him except for the bullies and his solitude and playing the Duel Monsters game. Who knew how his life would have turned out hadn't all that stuff happened to him and his family. It was a good chance his life would have just become a longer, extended version of the hell it was before he was shoved onto his current path.

Yuugi knew he might have attempted suicide a few times. He had been close to that point when he was barely thirteen. He had a miserable existence which included daily beat downs and humiliating taunts. Toss in the stress of his involved with developing sexuality, Yuugi felt messed up, confused, and alone. When his oji-san gave him the Sennen, he also gave Yuugi a new lease on life and much more.

Destiny had stepped in, changed his life, and given him Atemu. He had in him someone who had never judged him, someone that trusted him and loved him long before they became lovers. Yami was Yuugi's strength, the pillar that he had once clung to when the world became too much, but soon they became partners and Yuugi found that he could stand at Yami's side and they became equals. In their relationship there was an understanding that could survive petty arguments, mood swings, and changes.

They were strong together. Their relationship was built on a solid foundation of trust, acceptance, and understanding as well as love. And if Yuugi was sure about anything in his life he was sure about them. He knew they would survive the rough passages of time, he and Yami cared about one another too much not to fight for their life together. They would stay together. He and his Yami.

He and Yami would make their way back to each other, Yuugi was sure of that. They would better because of this experience and as corny as it sounded, Yuugi knew their love would be stronger for this experience.

This epiphany came to him several days later while he sat at exact the spot where his troubles began, three weeks to the day since he lost his masculinity and became a girl.

Yuugi was back at the mall, seated beside the water fountain watching the crowd. A cup of black coffee sat between his knees as he watched the unusual light crowd in the mall. There was no sales or anything so the place was nearly deserted. Those who actually decided to venture out this chilly autumn afternoon were mostly window-shopping or like him, hanging out near the food court.

He raised the paper cup to his lips and took a long sip of the foul brew. What the hell had possessed him to order black coffee, he wondered for the tenth time since then.

This was Yami drink of choice and he had been thinking of Yami when he ordered it. Yuugi cursed his own carelessness as he downed the rest of it. Kami, what going on with him?

_/I have been asking myself the same questions/ _

Yuugi started at the mental touch._ /Yami/_ he turned around quickly and began scanning the area before Yami allowed him to feel him again. Almost immediately Yuugi's eyes landed on solitary figure seated on the other side of the fountain with two cups of coffee. Although Yami wore dark glasses, Yuugi knew without a doubt that Yami was watching him. _/How long have you been there/_ Yuugi asked as he started towards the Pharaoh.

Yami withheld his answer until Yuugi was standing beside the bench he occupied. _/You have not been available much this week, Hikari./_ Yami said as he made room for his light.

Unceremoniously, Yuugi dropped down beside him. "Latte?" He held the beverage out even as he offered it. "No whipped cream, extra chocolate." Then he added, "It will wash away the sour taste of that coffee you were drinking."

A rueful grin crossed Yuugi's lips as he ripped the lid off his drink. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," was the evasive reply. Yami draped his free arm behind Yuugi's shoulder as he raised his own cup to his lips. _/I though you and I should talk in private and in a neutral area/_ he finally said. _/You have been distant all this week. Short tempered and confused./_

_/Can you blame me/_ Yuugi asked irritably_. /I have a woman's body or have you not noticed/_

_/I have noticed./_ His fingers shifted easily through Yuugi's unbound hair. He felt him relax but Yuugi hesitated before resting completely into his touch. Yami frowned slightly, for Yuugi's hesitation did not sit well with him. _/Do you blame me/_ His mind's voice was so low and filled with the insecurities that were not projected on his impassive features.

Confused, Yuugi said, _/Huh/_

Yami didn't answer immediately. He savored in just being with his light. All the fear, tension and anxiety he had felt since seeing Yuugi's transformed body and going through this horrid week—Everything was released once Yuugi finally relaxed and melted against his side.

_/She came to me here/_ Yuugi whispered softly.

_/Who/ _Yami asked distractedly. He did not want to think of anyone else other than them.

_/That creature, the one who did this to me. She came to me here. I had just fought with Kaiba./_

_/Why were you and Kaiba fighting/_ Yami demanded quickly. Red ire, like molten lava surged through his mind at the mention of though of his dealing with that little toad. Just as quickly Yami's anger shifted to himself and he instantly blamed himself for not knowing that Yuugi had needed him even before this 'creature' had arrived. Damn it, he was becoming careless in this time.

Yuugi, sensing where Yami's thoughts were headed. _/Kaiba is not the issue nor is he important. Nor do I blame you for what happened to me. That thing would have gotten to me even if Kaiba hadn't provoked me./_

_/You are right, Hikari./_ Yami murmured as he pressed his lips to Yuugi's temple. Damn that Kaiba was going to pay for Yuugi's pain with interest, Yami promised silently. The little shit's life could now be counted in hours. Yami was going to have his freaking heart for this latest bout of insolence. _/Tell me about the 'creature' as you call it./ _

_/There isn't much else. She sat down beside me and we started talking. I don't recall much about the conversation but somewhere down the line we started talking about Duel Monsters. She asked me to play—I remember saying that I was meeting you but after that nothing except…/_

_/Except what/_

A shiver race through Yuugi's body as the memories came back to him.

_He had realized too late that he had been duped. But there had never been an escape for him from the dark game. Had he lost, he suffered. If Yuugi had tried forfeited the game then he would been forced to endure a torture worst than death and if by some miracle he won, Yuugi would have still been murdered. His hostess had no intention of just let him walk away from this duel._

_ "You have lost." She proclaimed her victory as the last of Yuugi's Shadow Monsters faded away. _

_The Dark Magician had been destroyed right before his eyes and Exodia the Forbidden One never had a chance to be formed. The cards from that great beast slowly drifted from his hands as Yuugi fell to his knees._

_He was defeated. _

"_The penalty for your arrogance is--."_

_He was confused, what had he done. "Arrogance?" he asked in a choked whisper. He did not understand. "What have I done?" He had just wanted to play...But not with her. "No," he cried. "This was not what I had wanted. I refused to play. You forced me into this game. You wanted this! I will not be punished for your twisted pleasures."_

_She looked down into his angry face then laughed at the fierce some pride in his lavender eyes. "I did not make you summon the creatures hidden within the Shadows." She saw the confusion in his eyes and laughed. He did not understand nor know of what she referred. "Your arrogance was showing me your monsters. The sight of them was as good as you verbal acceptance of my challenge. For that, you will pay."_

_Yuugi said no. It was never his intention to offend anyone…. _

"_Of course you!" She shouted him down, "You never mean to offend anyone. But you did." she turned blazing eyes on him. "You defied yourself and this sacred light by bringing that accused darkness into it."_

_He shrank back from her rage. "I—" _

_Without warning, she had leapt across the room and was standing on top of him. Yuugi started to move away but before he could move her hands shot out capturing his head in a vice-like grip. _

_ "I. I. I. I. I. I… you what?" She screamed in his face. She suddenly threw him to the ground before she stalked off to scream at the shadows. _

_Slowly, Yuugi started pushed himself up only to have the breath knocked out of his body as a sudden weight fell on him pinning him to the ground. He looked up and he was looking right into the face of madness._

"_You are a perverted soul," she declared, "corrupted by that faithless cur of long dead Kemet." Then her voice softened and the weight on his chest lessen. She studied him for a moment. Her close scrutiny caused him to cringe. "It is of little wonder why he wants you." Her hands trailed gently over his face and hair as she continued in her quiet tone, "You are beautiful. Your crystalline soul is a treasure, a thousand times more brilliant than any stars. The innocence of your heart is very pure and amazing. You radiate the warmth of the Sun." Just as suddenly her hands tighten on his cheeks, squeezing the bones until Yuugi let out a strangled cry in protest. "Yet you allow that foul creature of the Shadows touch your light. He has corrupted you with pleasures of the flesh. He has tarnished your brilliance with his polluted aura and you have allowed him to do so without a single care as to who this tainted one has done to us." She threw herself way from him with a violent thrust, leaving him to moan and gasp painfully on the frozen floor while she danced around him. _

_When conscious returned, Yuugi found that he was still on the cold ground in her prison. His mind reeled from the twisted agony that he had been allowed to leave. His puzzle had been removed from his grasp by cold hands, leaving him alone, cut off from Yami to be sucked further down in this white nightmare._

_The psychotic angel continued to dance around him, caught up in the wild abandon she had created for herself as she screamed curses at everything._

_Weak from fear and the cold, Yuugi struggled to push himself up, but an invisible weight held him down on the ground. He was so cold, shivering in this brilliance that could have rivaled the winter's sun for all the heat it produced. Yuugi closed his eyes as the light was blinding him with its painful intensity every time he tried to move. _

_After a while, the angel returned to him. She had become bored with her game of taunting the Shadows. They were no fun when they could not enter the light. The look on her face reminded Yuugi of a child who had been denied a favored toy; but the madness in her eyes reminded him that this was no child. She was very powerful, cunning, and deadly. She wanted him to suffer for some offense that he had not consciously committed. _

_Her cold eyes lighted upon him as feral grin that almost rivaled Yami's sent a shaft of cold fear throughout his body. More afraid now than he was before, Yuugi renewed his futile struggled against his invisible bonds. _

_She knelt over Yuugi's prone body, settling on his waist as she planted her hands on both sides of his face. She leaned forward, her shimmering lips just a breath away from his own and she smiled. _

"_A life for the light," she breathed across his lips. _

_Yuugi jerked violently as he tried to turn his face away, but she had a firm hold of his chin. Her dainty finger tips dug into his face as she exhaled again. His eyes began to tear as the acidic smell of her breath assaulted his nostrils. _

"_I hear your soul calling out to him, yet he will never save you. How can he save you from yourself?" She lowered her lips to touch his. Again Yuugi tried to pull away ,but she was already moving on. Gently, she began over planting wet, open-mouth kisses all over his face. All the while, Yuugi laid there, a helpless prisoner, screaming in agony as the acid from her mouth burned his skin. She stopped to press her lips to his chin before dragging her tongue up to his hairline. _

_Yuugi tried to scream but it came out in hoarse rasp. Her touch was like fire on his flesh; the wet trail she left was burning worst than anything he had ever felt. He thrashed about, trying to push the woman away, but she just laughed in his face._

"Biaw_," she said mockingly. "Isn't that what _He_ says to you. _Biaw_? How possessive of him. How dare he claiming you as his when he never had the right? However, it shall never occur again, pretty one. You now belong to me. Mine from the beginning of time."_

"_No!" Yuugi screamed. "I will never be yours."_

_She grabbed his face in her right hand and forced him to meet her gaze. Madness danced merrily in her eyes as she lowered her lips to his. Just before she touched him, she whispered, "You are not listening to me, sweet one, you have always belonged to me." _

"_Please," he croaked. "I don't know what—"_

"_A life for the light," she breathed, her voice a singsong as she moved down his body. Her searing touch was melting the flesh from his bones, her strong hands kneaded at every muscle. She was a sculptor with her clay, molding and contorting his body all the while Yuugi was pleaded for mercy and begging for his own death._

_A life for the light; she wanted to bask in it, she wanted to feed on light. _

_He was screaming in agony and terror. His body was on fire; it felt as if he was dying. He wanted to cry, she told him he could. She wanted to see his tears, she wanted to hear him scream and beg, but she was not going to stop. Not yet._

"_One body," she was lost it now. She gloried in every cry and every tear. Her light of pushed at the darkness that was wrapped around his soul, breaking through until the shadows gave way and Yuugi's power poured through and reached out—for the darkness._

"_No!" She screamed, rage showed in her face. Her fingers latched onto Yuugi's chest and she poured every ounce of her hate and rage into him, almost suffocating him from the sheer force of her power. "The Darkness has to lose his light. Why can you not understand this?" Why couldn't he believe it when she said he was hers?_

"_He bathes in your soul." The fanatical eyes gleamed in ecstasy as she licked Yuugi's tears from her fingertips. "He feeds on your radiance. But never again, sweet one." She lowered her head to nuzzle Yuugi's chest. Yuugi let out a blood curdling scream of sheer torture. _

_Why couldn't she just kill him now?_

_Cold hands rested lightly on his face, slowly she leaned down, her painful lips brushed his left ear. "You are mine."_

They sat side by side in silence. Yuugi had finished with his tale, but the horror of it and what had been to him was yet to be cleared from his mind as he sat clinging to Yami. As for the former Pharaoh it was like he was in _Tuat_ once again. Sometime during Yuugi's narration, Yami had pulled him into his lap. Now he clutched Yuugi to his chest and tucked the boy beneath his chin and his hands moved mechanically over Yuugi's left arm and back.

It could have been anyone.

That though rocked Yami to his very core. Yami had a list of enemies from his past from all ranges of life starting from the moment he first allowed the Shadows to mix in his soul as a boy that could have circled the globe twice. He had offended the Gods, priests, sorcerers, and witches that wanted to see him tortured for all eternity. He had walked roughshod over and killed his all his rivals.

Anyone who spoke against him never lived long and he made it a special point to have all the members of his enemies families killed just so he could have avoided something like this from happening. However, never in all his years would Yami have dreamed up a something as cruel as this. He had been blessed with an inventive and daring imagination, but this surpassed even his most malicious endeavors.

He took Yuugi home soon after. Neither spoke, both young men were still wrapped up in their own thoughts to think of anything else.

Yuugi was exhausted. Reliving the nightmare had drained him and when he got home all he wanted to do was sleep.

Yami stayed with Yuugi until he had fallen asleep in his arms. Then he lay there another hour just watching Yuugi sleep. Fear clutched his heart every time he thought of leaving his light.

Hours later Yami was in the middle of his workout. He came to the gym to take out his aggression on the machines and hopeful wear himself out the image of that fiend slithering down Yuugi's body would disappear from his mind. However, pounding his fists into a punching bag still could not wipe the memory from his mind. The horrors that Yuugi had lived through was enough to drive anyone mad and Yami was close to it.

"Well this is turning into a familiar sight, Pharaoh?"

Yami let go of the bag but did not turn around. "How you have come so low that you have taken to breaking into gymnasiums to irritate me, Bakura?"

The villain chuckled darkly. "No, Pharaoh. I was on my way home when I noticed your motor car out front. I decided step in for a brief chat."

"How lucky for me" Yami growled as he slammed his right fist into the bag and then his left.

Bakura came to stand beside him. "Have you spoken to your hikari?"

Yami continued to work over the bag, it did nothing to release his tension, but now he had a face he could mentally beat into oblivion. "Yuugi told me about the creature that attacked him." He said shortly.

"And?" Bakura inquired impatiently.

The shorter man clenched his jaw tightly. "I don't know."

Bakura moved behind the bag to hold it in place for Yami. "What?" When Yami did not reply Bakura went on. "Pharaoh, I like to think that I understand you after these last years of peace that exist between us. This is the first time I have ever heard the slightest bit of doubt from you after you leaving your hikari's body."

Yami viciously slammed his fist into the bag, managing to rock Bakura on his heels. "I am not in doubt of myself, Thief." He snarled. "I just need some time to think. _My_ list of enemies is far more extensive and more diverse than yours. I cannot just pick one at random and obliterate them."

"Why not destroy them all?" Bakura was naturally curious.

Yami glared at him, coldly. "It not that simple. The gods of this world would not take to kindly to my tearing the celestial plains just to kill the old gods of Kemet."

"You believe it was our Gods who attacked your light?"

Yami shook his head, "I am not certain." He admitted.

The expression on Bakura's face was skeptical. "Pharaoh, I was not apart of your inner circle or your court. I was one of those insignificant lives that you and your proud princes mistreated, stepped on, and killed for pleasure. Yet as part of the huddled masses in the shadow of 'your greatness' I heard the same rumors about you."

A faint outline of the Eye appeared menacingly on Yami's brow as he stared coldly at the thief.

"Do not presume that you know me, that would be unwise of you." He reached out and grabbed the front of Bakura's dark blue hooded jacket with his tapped hands. "I am still your lord and master. I hold your life and that of your hikari's in the palm of my hand. Offend me, Tomb Raider, and I will end your meaningless existence."

Bakura went continued, ignoring Yami's threats. "You killed the Pharaoh and the Queen as well as your brothers and sisters."

"I had no siblings." Yami growled. "I was my mother's only child."

"You had issues with your father and his second family?" Bakura sneered. "You are truly a spoilt little throne born brat aren't you."

"What is it that you think you know, vermin, aside from what came from the empty palace gossip?" Cold ruby eyes stared contemptuously at the man, then without a word, Yami let Bakura go. The other man collapsed to the floor, panting. Yami sat down before him with knees bent and rested his arms over them.

"My father was weak," Yami told him. "His second wife was a Sumerian whore and their children were half-bred bastards; but they were never really that important to me until that woman tried to steal my throne. I decided they all had to die then." He removed the bandana from his head and used it to swipe at the sweat dripping from his chest. "Before that woman came and started breeding my father's bastards, everyone in Memphis feared me. No one would risk my displeasure, even my father would not dare cross me, for he, the foolish Pharaoh, feared the power of the Shadows." He met Bakura's curious eyes and Yami flashed him a grim smile. "But I was a good ruler. I knew that, you as one of my subject knew that as well. I put Kemet before all else, even my own life. And it pains me to know her fate after my passing. Had I produced an heir, my kingdom—my kingdom would have not become a slave to the salvages from the north and the east. She was robbed of her dignity and pride by those unscrupulous wretches who cowered before those useless nothings who dared to think of themselves as gods. For their weakness, Kemet lost itself and was controlled by the scrambling locus from the north and east. Her treasures were gone and my Kingdom is nothing of but dull, cracked shell of her former self. For her peace, I went into the shadows. I entrusted Kemet future in the hands of a new dynasty. My compromise with those cowards led to the destructions of my nation and my people."

"Even with all this, you will not hold our Gods to be responsible for what befell your light? "

Yami shook his head, "What I am saying is that have long list of enemies. That rabble just happens to be there. If history was to compare my enemies and numerous atrocities with the petty tyrants of who followed me, Hitler and Stalin would be looked upon as malicious little thugs at play."

"Who's Hitler?" asked a puzzled Bakura.

To which Yami responded by laughing. "It questions such as that is why you and Marik should have joined me in receiving a modern education."

"Bosh." Bakura snorted. "I was never one for such frivolous activities. Tis for those with can waste their days quoting dead men and making speeches."

"You are right in some respects." Yami scratched at his hair. Absently, he noted that it was getting too long. In already reached the middle of his biceps when it was down, in a couple months it would be touching his elbows. He would have it on the morrow. "You do understand, Tomb Raider that in this day and age, it is a necessity to know more than how simply read menus and write your name and address."

"If it requires more than those basics, I leave those concerns to my light."

"You should not make yourself solely dependent on Ryou, Tomb Raider." Yami told him. "As he grows older and becomes more worldly, he will expect the same of you. Yet if you refuse to change, to grow with him, and make a place for yourself in this new world, you will lose your light and sink back into the ring."

"Do you harbor such a dreaded fear for yourself, Pharaoh?"

Yami shook his head, "I have no such fears. I am completely independent of Yuugi. It is he… He depends upon me."

"You will never change, Pharaoh?"

Yami gaze settled on the ring about Bakura's neck. He could feel the dark magic of trapped within the golden prison clamoring against their bonds. "That's where you are wrong, Tomb Raider."

"You are the same self serving tyrant of centuries ago."

"It is something you will never understand as long as you remain as you are." He looked away from the ring and it's bearer as he stretched out on the mat. "All I want is Yuugi being there when I want him, which is all the time. Yet this boy, this beautiful young man, he loves me unconditionally and completely knowing all my faults. Would you like to know where the irony lies in all of this?" A bitter chuckle escaped him.

"If it serves to make you miserable, then of course." Bakura quipped.

Yami nodded. "The twisted part of this drama is that I worship him. He is the only person I felt this way for in my long life. Had I any doubt of either of our affections, they have been eradicated. Yuugi and I will survive this. We have already made amends and our relationship will be stronger, in the long run."

Bakura looked at him questioningly. "Pharaoh," the Raider inquired cautiously, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over them.

"Yes?" Beyond the doors of the room they occupied, people were still only with their insignificant lives without a true care in the world. Yami both resented and envied them. How dare they be happy and monotonous while he and his light suffered? The selfish masses, nothing interrupted their idiotic lives except the occasional earthquake or bad weather or an especially heinous act of terrorism. Other than that nothing shook their safe little worlds. Just a week before, he was apart of that same monotonous little bubble: Going to school, do stuff for dueling tournament and promotion, seducing Yuugi, making love with Yuugi, falling asleep with Yuugi in his arms and then starting over.

He missed Yuugi. His body ached to be with him, to touch him, kissing him…he just wanted to be with him. He wanted his Yuugi.

"Pharaoh." Bakura called him for the fifth time.

A low growl emanated from the other. His daydream of a very compliant and wet Yuugi was interrupted but that white haired freak. "What the hell do you want?"

"There was rumor, during the war…"

Taking several deep breaths to calm himself, Yami snapped. "Go on."

Bakura drew in a deep breath before spoke. "During the Shadow War, you turned against Ra."

After a tense moment before Yami replied. "It is true."

"Is it possible that our Gods chose to seek their revenge on you by attacking your hikari?"

He had entertained the same idea before, yet he highly doubted it was them. "As I told you before, they would not." he said finally.

"You seem certain of this?"

"I am. That rabble feared me and the Shadows when I lived. Even now, in their weak and powerless states, they cower in terror at my current existence."

"Then who has done this?" Bakura had to admit that he was slightly worried himself. To challenge the Pharaoh was insane, the man was the vessel of the dark magic and was the most powerful sorcerer

"Does it matter?"

His answer was a slap across the face. Bakura was top of him before Yami could react and the suddenly enraged former thief had pinioned him to the floor. "It matters," Bakura voice was thick with emotion and he was shaking with rage. "It matters because I lost my father at _Suten-henen_ (Herakleopolis) and was made an orphan because of your damned Shadow War."

Yami shoved him off and quickly rolled to his knees. "I warned you, Tomb Raider, to never touch me again." He growled.

Bakura turned on him with murder in his eyes. "You owe me."

"I owe you nothing." Yami shot back.

"Your lust for power killed my family. Unlike you, _Pharaoh_, I cared for my parents and siblings." The former thief snarled. "I did not want to lose them."

"My intentions were to free Kemet from that lot of miscreants who dared to call themselves gods." Yami roared at him.

"You allied yourself to Set and damned us all to _Tuat_," Bakura rasped. "You condemned us to darkness and torment. Damn you, Pharaoh, I was sacrificed for your greed."

"I was betrayed." Yami told him. "I was betrayed long before I became Pharaoh."

"Who could betray the child of darkness?" the thief sneered.

"That bitch." Yami said spitefully. "My father's wife and my royal stepmother. The whore who wanted to put her misbegotten brat on my throne. She tried to take everything from me including my life. She had convinced my father that I was evil and that I was mad. My father fell for her tricks; even the gods believed her lies and soon, no one trusted me. How silly of them. They had forgotten who I was." He glanced down at his watch then stood up. "Believe this or not Bakura, you not sacrificed for something as simple as greed. The Shadows and I chose you to be the guardian of the ring."

"What?" the spirit cried in disbelief.

"Everything that I have ever do and shall continue to do has been meticulously though out to the most minor detail." Yami walked over to his black gym bag and scooped it up. "I did not become the ruler in Kemet by being sloppy."

"I don't understand?"

"I though you knew everything about me through the rumors, thief." Yami flashed him a cocky grin as he removed the tape from his hands.

"You can go straight to hell." Bakura growled.

"I've already been there and it was an interesting place. Bad décor, yet what would one expect for the land of eternal suffering and damnation?" Yami replied nonplussed. "And I will gladly sent you and that bleached blond freak there for an extended stay and dip your worthless little lights in that fiery river."

"When you refer to your hikari, don't you mean 'she'?" Bakura asked maliciously.

Yami's eyes narrowed sharply. "And on my way home, maybe I should pay a little visit to that sniveling, servile bitch you call _your_ hikari."

Bakura shook his head. "Spare Ryou, Pharaoh. Your displeasure is with me."

Something in Yami snapped. He threw his bag across the room and plowed into the wall. "Every goddamned thing in this forsaken world fucking displeases me." He fell to his knees as he continued to pound the wall. "Yuugi is an innocent. He should not be forced to suffer for my actions. I had done unspeakable things to many innocent people. I walked roughshod over everything for I wanted to rule my kingdom without fear of those pathetic curs and that foreign witch. I did what I believed to have correct thing to protect myself and my kingdom. I am not sorry for a damned thing I had done. I admit to killing my father and the bitch and their child. I admit that I condemned hundreds of my own people death. Yet it had to be done for Kemet future. I had to do it."

"The gods tried to kill you?" The soft question hung in the tense air.

Yami dropped his hands. "My own father wanted to kill me. I did not worship the Gods and had no use for their priests or anyone who worshiped them. I though it odd that I, who as child played with magic and who was blessed with a power that rivaled the Gods, should I bow and scrap before them. Them or anyone for that matter? Ra and the others abandoned me and embraced that bitch's child because he chose to bow down before them. No one was going to take anything from me. The Shadows protect me from harm and promised me eternity. I did not need the Gods in my life nor did I need them in Kemet." Slowly, he raised his face. Bakura would have gasped, but he held his emotions at bay. Yami's face was the same; it just beneath the surface Bakura saw the Shadows and the Darkness. Black magic. Cruelty, malice, and greed. "I am so far beyond the Gods reach…"

"So they attacked your hikari."

"They would not do something as foolish. That rabble fears me." Yami told him for the third time.

"Then who has done this?" He hated to admit, but the Pharaoh revelations and his strange behavior had disconcerted him. All this talk of Gods and betrayal had unsettled the brash and fearless Tomb Raider. However, now he found himself wanting to laugh at his own ignorance. For years he though he understood the Shadow Magic. Apparently he knew less about than that idiot Pegasus or the lunatic. Moreover, it looks like Marik did not know much either. Scared text his ass, Bakura scoffed. Foolish temple guards and priests, they had no idea of what it meant to control the Shadows Magic.

Yami was aware of Bakura's thoughts. It was hard for him not to be since the fool always wore that blasted Sennen Ring. Normally it would have amused him to have the Tomb Raider cowering in fear of him, but tonight, it did not matter. Yet the greedy little gutter trash did surprise Yami with his persistent questioning. Everything did seem to lead back to Gods of Kemet. Yet he would have known had them moved against him or Yuugi. The Sennen Puzzle would have destroyed them if they had come within the range of Yuugi's spirit.

Yet, if it had not been those cowards in _Sekhet-hetep_ (Field of Peace) who had attacked Yuugi. Then who it would have been someone or something coming for him since he conquered death. But who? Who was insane enough to do this?

He sat back on his heels as he reached up and tucked his hair behind his ears. "I'm going to head out, thief. Do you want a ride home?"

The other Egyptian gawked in disbelief, which quickly became disbelief. "No offense, Pharaoh, but you have more mood swings than that lunatic Marik."

Yami relaxed somewhat, he even laughed. "What is that saying—Ah, I needed to vent and to my everlasting surprise, you listened, even when I threatened to kill your hikari."

Bakura shrugged. "I assumed you had needed to 'vent' so I chose help you out, this time, Pharaoh."

"Yes, sure." Yami rolled back into a standing position. "Man, I need to get laid."

The former tomb raider backed up then, shaking his head wildly. "Oh, I'm not going there."

Yami peered down his nose contemptuously at his slightly bedraggled companion in the old work out clothes and well-worn running shoes. "You twisted little prick. You think I would lower myself to fuck you? Hell no. I would never feel clean after the act. Goddamn Nile river trash. I would cut my own dick off before I touched you in a sexual manner."

Bakura was abashed, and then he was angry. "What? You think you're too good for me?"

"Honestly? Yes." Was the blunt reply.

And Bakura was seeing red. "You egotistical son of bitch, not that I would want to sleep with you at all, but you would damn lucky to get a piece of this. Motherfucker."

Yami snorted. "Lucky if I walked away without an STD, you nasty looking, white-haired, inbred…"

"Inbred!" Bakura screamed. "Inbred…"

"Yes, you do know the definition of the word—" The former pharaoh sneered.

"Like you have the balls to call anyone inbred you fucking bastard of incest!" The thief was actually foaming at the mouth. "Screw that. I am going to kick your ass."

Yami spread his arms wide with a cocky grin on his face. "Come on, bitch."

Bakura growled, "I'm going to fuck your pretty face up, your Majesty." And with that, the white haired youth lunged to his feet. With a harsh cry, he charged the seemingly unprepared, somewhat thinner, and shorter man.

Yami's cheeky grin became feral sneer. It had been a long time since he had been in a good physical fight. He was going to enjoy this.

Please review.

**NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN DON'T READ IT.**


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Remember: If you don't like it then don't read it.

Chapter Nine

Dawn brought a new day and with it a more complicated problems that had no immediate solutions. It started when Yuugi had forced himself from his warm bed to that blustery Monday morning to make his usual trek around the park with his grandfather.

There was no relief from his problems in his favorite form of exercise, no flash of insight, nothing except that he was more tired than usual.

The pair returned home and parted ways on the landing. Sugoroku stopped long enough to inquire if Yuugi would be going to school that morning.

The seemingly innocent question caused the young man to pause. Never before had his oji-san even asked Yuugi if he would deliberately miss a day of school. Not even when Yuugi's body would be burning with a fever had his Sugoroku—

Yuugi fought down his irritation, it was not directed at the sweet old man, but that evil, conniving bitch that had changed Yuugi there by making everyone who knew him uncomfortable and unsure of him.

"Yeah," he said quietly, "I have a couple tests to take." Yuugi tried to smile, but his face refused to make his usual happy mask. So he walked away from his grandfather and hurried to the sanctuary of his bedroom.

Twenty minutes later Yuugi was down stairs rummaging through the kitchen cupboards in search of his morning snack. Honda and Anzu had called over while he was in the shower and both had asked for a ride. The last thing Yuugi wanted to do was drive around picking his friends like he was some damned taxi. He wanted to go back to bed and curl up with a hot pack.

While he was in the shower, small pin pricks of pain began to shoot up and the down the back of his legs and lower back. Yuugi didn't know why but his body felt swollen and his tights like pack of wet sand. And if he didn't find his cereal bars, he was going to go off like a Roman candle.

Yuugi was still slamming cabinets and muttering curses under his breath when Yami strolled into the kitchen.

_/Yuugi/_ the Pharaoh said in greeting.

"Where are my cereal bars?" his light growled in response.

Yami said nothing. Instead he went over to the bread box and removed a box that sat beside it. Yuugi marched over to where he stood and snatched the box up. It was Yuugi realized his breakfast snack. Yuugi's temper cooled somewhat, but flared up immediately after once he started counting the contents of the box.

He whirled about, ready to tear into Yami for eating his treat but he came up short as found himself trapped between Yami and the counter and neither was going to give him any space.

Yuugi looked up at Yami and he swallowed hard.

"Yami," he croaked.

"You are hot." The Pharaoh told him.

Yuugi's eyes bulged out, "What?" he cried.

Yami reached up and touched Yuugi's brow, his dark eyes narrowed in concern. "You feel feverish," he frowned then asked, "Do you smell blood?"

And it hit Yuugi like a ton of bricks.

Thirty minutes later Yuugi was back in his room, huddled in on himself as the worst of his fears since this nightmare fell upon him became reality.

Sugoroku sat beside his grandson. Gently, he rubbed the boy's back hoping to sooth Yuugi and to bring him out of the horrible silence that he trapped in. Sugoroku prayed that Yami would be back soon but he did not have to wait long for his prayers to be answered. He heard the squeal of tires outside and then two car doors slam shut. Moments later there was the urgent pounding on the staircase before Yami called out to him.

"We are in Yuugi's room," the old man called back hoarsely.

Moments later Yami rushed through the entrance with a winded Anzu behind him.

The girl's large blue eyes flew to her friend lying on the bed. Wordlessly, Anzu went to Yuugi's side as she opened the bag Sugoroku just noticed in her hands.

"Yuugi," she smiled sadly at him, "Come on, honey, I'll help you clean yourself up." She whispered.

It took some doing, Yuugi could not move on his own violation, so it was Yami who took care of his light. The Pharaoh asked Anzu to wait with down stairs with Sugoroku after telling her he would call her once he was done.

He carried Yuugi into the bath and started the shower. While the water heated, Yami undressed Yuugi. It had been weeks since Yami had last since his beloved's body. He had tried to banish the night Yuugi had been changed from his mind and had succeed somewhat. But now, he was deliberately forcing himself to see Yuugi as well as attend upon him.

Yami said nothing as he stripped out of his own clothing. His ruby eyes were fixed on Yuugi. In an almost violent gesture, Yami ripped off his black pull over. He could not bear to see Yuugi like this. It was not natural for his light to be despondent. Yuugi always had a smile and a quip on his pretty lips or a mischievous look in his seductive eyes.

This quiet Yuugi was unnerving.

This timid, untouchable thing made him want to hurt people.

This confused, lost little girl who almost kissed another man with Yuugi's petal soft lips just brought out the very devil in the one time king.

Yami had finally had enough. Yuugi had been turned into a womanl. Fine, they would get through this.

There was some demon from his past who wanted revenge on him for something that he had done while he was Pharaoh. It could stand in line.

But he would not allow this thing or Yuugi to destroy Yuugi's spirit. That belonged to him. And it was time that Yuugi remember that.

This was just a temporary set back. But it was nothing that he and Yuugi could not handle. After he had picked up Anzu, Yami had stopped at store and they had purchased the things to help Yuugi get through his first menstruation. Anzu suggested Midol, Yami had bought two packages. She picked up some sanitary napkins and tampons for Yuugi and on the drive back she instructed the curious king on how to use both. Yami could tell Yuugi and help him with the first one.

They were going to be alright. He was going to take care of everything and get them back on track.

Toying with Yuugi to get to him was that she-demon's first mistake. Thinking she could take Yuugi away from him was the second; her last was daring to underestimate him and affections for his light.

Yami stepped out his jeans. A predatory gleam made its way into the Pharaoh's eyes as he studied his little love.

Yuugi really did make a lovely woman. He smirked. A very lovely one, indeed.

_She wanted to rebel against this violation. _

_How dare he touch what was so rightfully hers._

_Did he not know?_

_Did he not care..._

_Flesh on flesh. His hungry mouth ate away at her face. Hands grabbed at and bruised her delicate flesh as he did...She screamed in agony as living thing continued to drive into her body, tearing at her soul._

Yami growled in appreciation as Yuugi grabbed at his hair and shoulders with a passion that was never displayed beyond their bedroom. His light clung to him as he relentlessly drove himself deeper into Yuugi's quivering body.

There was no blood except for the few droplets as Yuugi lost his virginity. Yet neither noticed for their attention was only of themselves and the driving desire that Yami sparked once they were in the shower.

All of Yuugi's fears and insecurities were being forgotten...The world did not exist to him. All that mattered was wrapped up in his arms and legs while he surrendered to Yami's demands...

_How dare that—that—WHORE allow the filthy cur to use her body thus?_

_She collapsed on herself, her arms going around herself as she sobbed. Pain and disgust warred in her mind as the Shadow King continued to rape her soul. _

_Ye Gods, would this degradation ever end?_

Reluctantly, Yami pulled away from Yuugi's mouth. He wanted to watch as Yuugi reached his satisfaction. The look of pure rapture on Yuugi's face was Yami's undoing. He surrendered to his own demands for a release and found bliss.

_Her screams of outrage and denial went unheard in that empty chamber. As did her promise of revenge._

Panting softly, Yuugi finally noticed the water that fell on his face. Slowly he opened his eyes, he collapsed fully on the slick wet shower tiles and he sighed.

"What was that for?" Yuugi asked when he could finally see past the fog.

"What?" Yami asked after he drew his first clear breath.

Yuugi looked down at his lover's face and began to laugh. Yami started to question him once more, but stopped when he met Yuugi's eyes. There was relief in those amethyst depths. Relief, happiness, and love and it was all focused on him.

The significance was not lost on him causing him to feel like a heel for once more. Yami couldn't continue look at his love's face. All Yuugi had wanted was his reassurance. When all of this happened the only person Yami could think about was himself. He only cared for what this meant to his own life. He was...

"You know. For a second there, I though you had lost your mind." Yuugi said lazily. He reached up, putting his hands around the back of Yami's neck. "I mean, not a second past from when you closed the shower curtain and then you jumped me. What the hell were you thinking?"

_/I was afraid I was losing you again./_ Yami lowered his head and pressed a butterfly kiss on Yuugi's collar bone. /_You shut down on me../._

"I was scared," Yuugi smiled, but it was a fragile smile. _/I thought you wouldn't want me. I am becoming a woman.../_

Yami clamped his mouth over Yuugi's as if to stop the words. _Of course I would want you. I would never...Damn, I have made a mess of this._ He looked down into Yuugi's eyes, "You know how I am, Yuugi. Even though I love you more than anything in this world, I still put my feelings before yours sometimes."

"How about all the times."

"Don't push it, Yuugi."

"I'm just saying—"

"Shut the hell up, I'm trying to apologize—"

"Oh, well the entire world needs to stop since Pharaoh..."

"Yeah, well this is my punishment. Being with a freaking hormonal bitch." Yami snapped. Too late did he realize what he had said. He started to apologize again.

Yuugi was speechless. His mouth opened twice, but nothing came out. Not that it needed to. On their shared link, Yuugi was laughing his ass off.

Tired of feeling unappreciated and sick of being the source of Yuugi's amusement, Yami let his demonic light go. He moved to stop the flow of water, as he straightened, he felt Yuugi's arms slip about his waist.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Yuugi said. "I know—I understand to a degree why you've been behaving the way you had and I haven't exactly been normal myself."

"You have good reason." Yami muttered.

Yuugi pressed a kiss against Yami's shoulder blade. "And you don't?"

A weary sigh came from the Pharaoh.

"Yami," his small lover said seriously, "I have never blamed you." Yami snorted contemptuously. "I don't blame anyone for this. I went with her, I dueled against her and I lost."

"You were set up."

"I lost."

"We do not lose." Yami said firmly.

"You don't," Yuugi told him, "But I do."

A shaft of guilt flashed through Yami. That summed up their entire relationship in a three little words. Absently Yami toyed with Yuugi's finger, mentally comparing the slender little hands with his memories of Yuugi. After a while he said, "Your ring no longer fits."

Yuugi groaned loudly, already knowing where this particular train of though was going but he was glad for the distraction.

"I'm not getting that tattoo." He said sternly.

Laughingly, the Pharaoh lightly kissed the objects of his fascination. "But you should..."

"I'm not putting Property of Atemu on my ass or anywhere else on my body." Yuugi growled.

"I'm sorry."

"Damn right you are."

Yami rolled his eyes, "No, idiot. I am fucking sorry." He felt Yuugi's question in his mind so he elaborated. "About all of this shit. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm sorry for bringing all my troubles on to you and making you a target for all my enemies. I'm sorry for everything, _mry_."

Yuugi didn't respond immediately. Hell, he was kind of in shock. This was the second time Yami had apologized to him (if one were to count the first botched attempt) and all in the same day. Once the surprise wore off, Yuugi hugged Yami, pressing his body against Yami's back letting him feel the warmth of his body. "Do you want my forgiveness?" He asked softly.

"No."

Yuugi drew in a deep breath, immersing himself in Yami's scent. "Alright."

Awkwardly, Yami reached behind himself and touched Yuugi's bare back. "I love you." The proud, haughty, all-powerful Pharaoh whispered.

"I know," Yuugi replied in kind.

"If I could, I would never allow you to come to any harm."

"I still believe that with all my heart."

"So you want try to stop me while I am beating Kaiba with an inch of his life?"

And like that...

"Huh?" Yuugi said intelligently.

"He touched you." Yami let go of Yuugi so he face him. "And not just once, the bastard had the balls to do it twice..."

Yuugi looked at him in disgust. He shook his head and reached for the shower curtain.

"What?" Yami demanded.

...Their moment of romance was gone.

Yuugi stepped out of the tub and grabbed his robe. He stumbled a couple times and both times he cursed the bastard who was making him walk funny.

"Yuugi." Yami called after him. He grabbed one of Yuugi's green bath towels and slung it around his hips. Muttering a few choice curses his own, Yami followed his light out to his bedroom where Yuugi was already making to climb back into bed. He was hunched over rubbing his stomach

"Yuugi..." Yami reached for him.

"Ah, hell." He groaned as the muscles in his belly clenched painfully. "I think you should get Anzu."

Yami hurried to door and shouted the girl's name. He then went over to Yuugi's night stand and ripped open the bag that Anzu had left.

"The chemist said you should take these if you stomach starts to hurt." Yami told him.

Yuugi looked down at the little white pills in Yami's dark hand and he was aghast. "Fuck that!" The boy cried, "I ain't taking Midol. I'm not freaking girl!"

"Aren't you having cramps?"

A wild look appeared in Yuugi's eyes as he said, "You were a little too rough, I'll admit that but..." He was cut off as another sharp pain lanced through his lower body. He was suddenly sorry for all the stupid things he had ever said about a girl that got out of something because of her period. This shit hurt. It really, _really_ fucking hurt.

Yuugi lay on his side grasping as the mini contractions rip through his body. Anzu finally made it up stairs. She glanced at the pair, taking in their various states of undress in a single glance before she sat down beside Yuugi.

"Hurt's like bitch doesn't?" She stated calmly as she opened a package of _Always._

Yuugi managed to open one eye which and shot her evil glare. "I want to kick someone's ass." He ground out.

"First you need to put on underwear and some socks." She told him. "I bought you Midol and that'll help with the cramps and the bloating."

"Ugh, Midol is for women."

The girl shrugged. "Fine, don't take anything. But I can promise that the pain is only going to get worst."

Horror appeared on Yuugi's face which quickly became outrage. Yuugi pushed himself on arms directing his ire at the one who jumped him. "You fucking did this to me. I was just fine before you decided you needed to fuc—"

Anzu immediately saw where this was going, "You two had sex?" Her face crinkled in disgust, "Minutes before—God! Men are so nasty."

The perplexed duo waited for her to explain; Anzu was too freaked to go on. She did impart some great wisdom on the two. They should hold off on all sexual activities until after Yuugi's cycle had ended (like either had to be told that.) Anzu smacked Yuugi upside the head when he rolled his eyes at her. Before she left them to get dressed (Yami was comfortable as he was) she handed Yuugi an open package of girl's briefs.

Anzu could not get out that room fast enough. Yuugi forgot all his pain and the fact that he was naked under his robe, and Yami laughter as he charged after the girl. Anzu did not stop running until she got out of the house and was on the sidewalk. Yuugi would have gone for outside, but a strong arm around his waist pulled him back inside and away from prying eyes.

Yuugi leaned away from Yami and threw the offensive package at Anzu, beaming her right in the middle of her forehead.

Anzu caught it before it hit the ground then she yelled at him, "You ungrateful little bastard. Next time you need some damn advice you better ask Jou or Honda because I am not coming."

Yuugi managed to get free of Yami who laughing. "I didn't ask for your—"

"Hikari." Yami said firmly, at least he tried to. Yuugi was in a perfect rage, his hormones were out of sync and there was just something about Yuugi, his damp hair curling about his shoulders, his chest heaving and his beautiful face was flush that was fetching.

Yuugi stopped snarling at Anzu and slammed the door in her face. She was lucky that he didn't have on any shoes or he would have kicked her ass good and proper...

His came to a mental halt. Since when did he want to beat up a girl?

Yuugi grit his teeth as another cramp tore through his body. This was not him. Goddamn, he hurt! All he wanted to do was lie down or beat his head against a wall until he passed out.

"Oww," he hissed, "Shit!" And he felt like he needed to do that too. "Yami, kill me."

"No why would I want to do something like that?" Yami slightly and took Yuugi into his arms. "I my discover the identity of my stalker and free you from this—curse."

"I you cared about me, you wouldn't me to be suffering like this?"

"I worship the ground you walk on."

"It feels like someone is pounding the hell out my guts." He said in tight whisper. "How can women put up with this every month?"

"I never had to think about it," Yami pressed a tender kiss to Yuugi's black hair as he carried him back upstairs to the apartment. "I do know that they survive it. Think of this way, _mry_, this will help you build character."

"I don't want character. I want my dick back."

"Soon, my love." Yami assured him.

"I mean it, Yami."

"As do I." Yami said with a sigh of the long suffering. "Your bitching is getting on my nerves."

"Fuck you Yami."

"You can't," the Pharaoh smirked, "Have you forgotten that you lack the equipment to do so, love?"

_/Asshole./_

_/I am trying to be sensitive to your needs./_

_/It's times like these when I can stand your ass./_

_/I thought you liked my butt./_ Yami drawled.

Whatever else Yuugi was going to say was forgotten once Yami dropped him on his bed. Yuugi ignored the Midol, he had Alive in his night stand. He took that, cursed Yami, and went to the bathroom to clean himself up for the third time that morning.

Yami left to get dressed. He had class that morning and could afford to miss it. He told Sugoroku that he would be back in a few hours and assured him that Yuugi was fine.

They both were. And they would be better once he discovered the identity of the psycho she demon and banished her to the Shadow Realm for all eternity.

It was a cold morning, the sun was out, but for the warmth it was giving out, it could have been overcast. Jin huddled deeper into his heavy overcoat as he pulled his skull cap further down over his ears.

It had been almost a week since he had last seen Yuugi and that had been too long. Jin had decided the girl needed some space and a chance to sort through her feelings, and that was what he was doing. Giving her space but that all changed yesterday.

Jin had come to Domino with a couple of his friends, just hang about killing time until it was time for him to go off and do his thing at the poetry reading. They came to the mall. His friends were trying to get him out of his funk about Yuugi when he spotted Yuugi beside the first floor fountain. Unfortunately she was not alone.

Sitting there with his fucking hands all over Jin's girl was no other than that son of bitch he Yami Moto.

Jin was incensed. He had had it up to his freaking eyeballs with that crazy prick and it was time he done something about him. Jin rushed off leaving his friends to try to catch him as he raced down to the first level ready to pound Moto's face in and get Yuugi away from the creep.

Unfortunately, Jin reached the fountain too late. They were gone.

He turned around, pushing past his friends as he ran outside. He knew what kind of car that bastard Moto was driving and the licenses' plate, but damn it, they were out there either.

Jin was not about give up. There was something different about Yuugi, something that he had never experienced with another girl before. He really did like Yuugi and knew if given half a chance, (and without Moto around) Yuugi would reciprocate his feelings. Yuugi wanted to be with him, Jin knew this in soul. He knew it and it driving him mad thinking about how Moto had her under his thumb. Yuugi's British friend Ryou had told him as much when they met at the coffee house after Jin's had come of stage that night.

Ryou was worried about Yuugi and he had been hinting that something had gone wrong between her and the freak that was shacked up in her grandfather's house. Jin couldn't get any details out of the little blond kid, but what he was hearing was enough to make him want to jump Moto and leave that bastard bleeding in a gutter. But first he had to see Yuugi and convince her that she would be better off with him.

This was why he was standing across the street from Yuugi's house freezing his ass off. Jin checked his watch again, it was a quarter to nine but no one seemed to be stirring in the Motou house. After learning Yami Moto's licenses plate number, Jin had obtained the punk's schedule. He spent last week following that weirdo around campus and through Domino and what he learned made him dislike the bastard even more.

Jin shoved his hands into his pockets as he shrank back into the shadows as he waited for either Yuugi or Moto to come out. It was around nine-thirty when the shop door opened. The old man, Yuugi's grandfather let up the shade and turned the closed sign to open before stepped out with a broom. While he was sweeping the front walk Yami came out.

Jin waited until Yami's car had disappeared around the corner before he darted across the street to the shop. Quietly, he pushed the door open, just wide so he could slip through without ringing the bell and announcing his presence to the old man in the back.

From his first and only visit to the Kame Game shop, Jin had a good idea of the store's layout and where the staircase was that lead to the apartment above the shop. On silent feet Jin hurried to the small hallway that hid the steps from the public's view, he raced up the stairs and came to a stand still in the small foyer where a couple pairs of running shoes lay in a tangle with each other. He stepped past the shoes; softly he pushed open the door and entered the Motous' home.

Jin knew he did not have long, Yuugi's grandfather could come upstairs at anytime. It was easy to see that Yuugi wasn't in the kitchen or the living room. So that meant Yuugi was still upstairs.

Absently he wondered why Yuugi did go to school that morning. She looked fine, she had been angry with her friend. Jin didn't know that Yuugi's melodious voice could be so loud or grating. But it had been worth it to have caught glimpse of the tops of her breast and her flushed face, even though Moto had his damned hands... In the shop the door opened. Jin froze when he heard Yami's voice calling out to Yuugi's grandfather as he started up the steps.

"...forgot a book I need for class." Yami called backed.

"Would you check on Yuugi, then?" the old man called from the bottom of the stairs.

Yami had opened the door, "I though Yuugi went to bed?"

"Oh, I forgot to bring down my reading glasses." Sugoroku said.

"Where are they?"

"On my nightstand."

Yami sighed, "I will bring them down."

"Thank you, Yami..."

"Yeah, yeah," Yami muttered as he turned around. He moved to enter the foyer, but he stopped. "What are you doing in here?"


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: Girl Trouble

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Remember: If you don't like it then don't read it.

Chapter Ten

Yami closed the door behind him as waited for Bakura to answer him.

The white haired spirit had made himself comfortable on the back of the Motou's couch. He was flipping through a magazine that Yami's face graced the cover of before he negligently tossed it aside.

"I had come to speak with you. Motou-san informed me that you had departed for your morning lectures so I decided to wait for you to return."

Yami frowned slightly, "I do not enjoy having you in my home or around Yuugi unless I demand your presence, Thief."

Bakura inclined his head, "I come to you in the greatest urgency, Pharaoh." The spirit of the Ring said dropping into their native tongue.

"Great Urgency" could have meant anything from the end of the world to Bakura needing a ride, neither ranked too high on Yami's list of importance right now. If he stayed around listening to Bakura he was going to be late.

"Whatever it is you can tell me on the way to my car." Yami said grudgingly. "I have to fetch a book and check on Yuugi."

"Also, I was wondering if I could bum a ride to Tokyo." Bakura grinned.

What else was new, Yami muttered to himself as stepped past the other man and started for the stairs. "What would you have done if I didn't return?" He asked over his shoulder. Sometimes Yami's curiosity managed to get the better of him and with Bakura, he managed to tamp it down, but some times he just had to know how the little guttersnipe's logic worked.

"Taken the tram of course?"

"Of course," Yami shook his head in disgust as he asked, "So why were you looking for me?"

"Because I came over here for matter of great urgency." The thief snapped impatiently.

"How you get to Tokyo is that not important." Yami told him.

"You are not listening to me."

"You are right. I'm not—"

"I'm trying to tell you—in a nice way—that someone is after your light."

"Old news, Bakura." Yami drawled, his patience with the Thief was running thin until the blond sociopath said.

"It's not just the demon who altered him."

That caused the Pharaoh to pause. Slowly, Yami turned to confront the other man, "What?" he demanded.

"Someone is trying to steal your light, Pharaoh." Bakura told him, his tone was deadly serious, "And I am afraid my light has been consorting with him."

"Him?"

"Do I get that ride now, Pharaoh?"

From the relative safety of the kitchen, Jin listened as the two men departed. He had been surprised when heard someone coming from upstairs shortly after he broke in. The heavy swearing and the foreign tongue alerted Jin to the fact that the person was not Yuugi. Thinking quickly, Jin ducked into the kitchen and hid in the pantry. He was glad he did, barely a moment later Moto returned. Jin heard the freak demand what the other was doing there. After that, he only low muttering, some in Japanese, most in a language he hadn't heard before. It got quiet all of sudden.

Jin waited a few minutes before he started to creep out of his hiding place, but quickly returned when he heard two people enter the kitchen.

"Are you sure you are up for this?" Yami inquired worriedly as he followed Yuugi into the kitchen.

"All I want to do is go bed and stay there." Yuugi told him.

"You should."

Yuugi frowned at him. "I have commitments, Yami." He said with mock patience.

"To me," the Pharaoh told him.

Yuugi wanted to roll his eyes, but Yami wouldn't have appreciated that. "I can't afford to miss anymore days. My grades could suffer and I lose all chance of getting into a good college. And then where would I be?"

"Do you doubt my abilities to take care of you?" Yami demanded hotly.

"Let's not do this right now, Yami," Yuugi sighed wearily.

"Answer me, Yuugi."

He closed his eyes as he rubbed at the spot between his brows. "Atemu, I don't doubt you." He looked up at him and smiled, "I know you would cut off your own arm for me. But you've got to get it through that incredibly thick, gorgeous head of yours that I do have a life outside you and that I want things that are separate from you. But it doesn't mean I don't love you."

"Yet you do not trust in my ability to provide you with a life style that—"

"You already do that!" Yuugi cried. "You have a fucking fit when I want to spend my own money or even be away from you for a few hours. You have taken over my life. And I fine with that because I know that just how you are. But my having a life outside of us is not an attack on you in anyway, damnit!"

Yami was not appeased. Yuugi glanced at the clock on the microwave helplessly. At this rate he was never going to make it to his third period class (which was what Yami wanted in the first place, sneaky bastard) or to school at all he needed to soothe that temper and assure him of his trust in under ten minutes.

Yuugi directed all his attention on Yami. It wasn't hard since he wanted to pull him back up stairs and throw him on this bed and make Yami beg. Yuugi glided up to his beloved, and taking a page out of Yami's own book he caressed him with a smoothing gaze. Sex was a game for Yami, points mattered, seduction was a carefully laid out strategy that demanded both skill and flare and Yuugi had been though well by this Egyptian lothario.

He started with a touch. Yami had sensitive hands. Long elegant fingers that smoothed, stroked, and seduced. Such talented fingers that played upon the flesh as maestro would an instrument. Yuugi didn't have time to lavish the proper attention on the ten digits as he would have liked, but he did not abandon him either. In an uncharacteristic bold gesture, Yuugi put Yami's hand under his shirt and placed them on his bra clad bosom. Yami's only reaction was raising his right brow. Had he been anyone, that lack of response would have been disappointing. But he wasn't just anyone. Yami's well schooled features and seemingly unemotional stare was all the response Yuugi needed to continue with his little game. He pushed his breast into Yami's palms, as small moan escaped his lips as Yami's hands roughly scrapped his sensitive nipples. Until that moment, Yuugi thought that was a down side for his period. The gasp caused Yami's eyes to narrow slightly and curious hands to wonder. Yami's cool fingers on his fevered flesh was a welcome and to show his appreciation and in the spirit of his game, Yuugi leaned into Yami, letting the other feel his entire body pressed against his...And Yami's control snapped.

Yuugi was surprised when Yami's hands dropped down to his waist and hauled him up to his eye level. He forced Yuugi to wrap his legs about his waist and then Yami attached him.

Yami had only one round of sex with Yuugi that morning and that wasn't' enough to make up for the three weeks without him. He was a man deprived, starving for that intimacy and possession that came when ever he took Yuugi. His classes and Yuugi's be damned. He wanted him and he was not going to stop until he had the hell out of him.

As soon as Yami's mouth touched his, all other thoughts vanished from Yuugi's mind. He wrapped his around Yami's neck, opening his mouth to allow his other to enter and devour him. Their kiss was wild and hungry. Both young men were ravenous in the desire for one another. They tore at their clothes, eager hands gliding over supple skin, hard muscles, and soft flesh.

Yuugi moaned and whimpered as Yami ripped his mouth from his only to cry out in shock as Yami scraped his teeth over his bared neck. He clutched convulsively at him, nearly sobbing after Yami raised him higher to suckle his right breast.

His long hair fell over them, the ruby stained ebony locks mingled with Yami's dark stains and blended together perfectly and reminded him how perfect he fit with Yami.

Yuugi's eyes drifted close in pure bliss, he trusted Yami knowing he would not hurt him or let him fall. He trusted him and let Yami feel it the truth of his words through their bond. Yami's arms tightened about his waist just as a warm rush of Yami's affections surrounded him.

_/Aisheteru/_ Yuugi whispered. Lazily he drew his fingers through Yami's hair, knowing for the moment his jealous lover was content and at peace.

Slowly, Yami lowered Yuugi, he kept their bodies pressed close, not wanting to break the contact between them. /_/I would be lost without you./_ he replied as he nipped at Yuugi's bottom lip.

_/You do not mean it./_ Yuugi dipped his head to press his lightly parted lips against Yami's.

_/Of course I do/_ Yami tighten his hold about Yuugi's waist/_You are my life./_ Yami glanced at the clock on the range. He just had to give up on the only class he had planned to attend that morning. /_/I'll drop you at school./_ He let Yuugi go only after another brief, yet hard kiss. "Grab your bag. I'll be outside with Bakura."

Yuugi's eyes were fogged with lust. It took a moment for what Yami said to register nor did it help that his legs were trembling. When he finally came to his senses, Yuugi realized something was wrong. The top of his uniform and his bra were missing. He frowned, clearly puzzled by this, since Yami's sweater and leather jacket lay in a puddle their feet.

"Yami," he gestured at the floor. "Where are my clothes?"

"Burning in _Taut_." The former Pharaoh growled out. His brief two second war with the bra had caused him to send everything on the upper half of Yuugi's body to the Shadow Realm. All that damn wire and those little clasps! How was man to strip his lover naked if he had to fight with damned piece of clothing!

Yuugi said nothing more, Yami expression told him everything. Silently, Yuugi bend down to pick up Yami's sweater. He pulled it own while he wondered over to the refrigerator. "Well I want them back. I don't have time to iron another shirt and that was the only damned bra that didn't feel like it was choking the life out of me." He pulled open the door and tried to find his uneaten cookie dough so he could eat it on the drive.

He hadn't heard Yami move, he only felt knew he hand when he felt his warm body pressed against his back. Yami reached around him and in his left hand were Yuugi's top and jacket and tie. He started to reach for them, but his hands clenched before he drew them back to encircle Yami's neck as the Pharaoh began nuzzling the juncture between Yuugi's neck and right shoulder.

"Ah," Yuugi stuttered when Yami brought his tongue in to play, "Damn, Yami—"he tried to turn around, but Yami held him in place. "You don't play fair." His voice broke off on a whimper as pleasure coursed through his body. This was not fair by any means! The cheating bastard just couldn't turn down a game until he had won. Even if it was just fooling around with his boyfriend who wanted to go to school...

School!

"Shit!" Yuugi yelped as he pulled away from Yami's embrace. "Damn, you." He shoved his clothes into Yami's arms then ripped off the sweater and tossed it to the floor. "You are a shameless bastard." he grumbled as he rooted out the evil contraption that cut into his skin. "You deliberately kept me preoccupied just to keep me from going to school this morning."

Yami sigh wistfully as he watched Yuugi slip his arms through the thin straps, "It would have worked too. We could have gone back upstairs and fooled around all day."

Yuugi gave him a dirty look. "Don't you have classes."

"Nothing that is too important." He handed Yuugi his shirt, then he reached out to help him button it. "Really, Hikari, why are you so eager to be in class today? You are sick and can feel the fatigue rolling off you in waves." He slipped the simple blue tie about Yuugi's neck and deftly secured the knot while Yuugi pulled on his jacket. "I want to stay in bed with you."

Yuugi stretched up on tip toe and pressed a light kiss against Yami's lips. "I want that too, but I can't fail out high school, love." He said softly, "But I promise, next year and for the rest of our lives, I will indulge your every whim, dream, fantasy, and desire that you will have." He punctuated each word with a light kiss before Yami claimed his lips.

The room had become quiet again and Jin risked another look outside and his heart stopped.

His eyes fell on the pair standing before the open refrigerator yet they were oblivious to it and everything around them except for each other. Jin's gut clenched as he Moto's arms tightened about Yuugi slight form and draw her closer. A soft moan escaped her lips as she tightened her hold about Moto's shoulders and pulled herself up to deepen their kiss. Her eyes were closed in ecstasy as Moto mauled her body.

It sickened him to watch him use her—to touch her and she pretend to enjoy it.

"_All I can say is this," Ryou said in conspiratorial whisper. "Yuugi is not happy with Yami Moto."_

"_Then why doesn't she just leave him?"_

"_She is afraid him." Ryou explained, "Yuugi tried to end things between them last year but Moto attacked her beat her so severely—"_

"_Didn't her grandfather do something or at least call the cops on his ass?"_

_Ryou reached for his drink with a brief shake of his head. "He was out of town when it happened and did not return until a few afterwards. Yuugi had lied to us all and said that she had been attacked by a house breaker. And I admit that I did believe her..."_

"_But you don't now."_

_Ryou met his graze then, his dark brown eyes sad and filled with pain for his friend. "The day you met Yuugi was the same day she had finally told me the truth about her relationship with Moto. I am filled with rage and indignity for her, but I am not a strong man. Moto would kill me if I attempted to—"_

"_Don't say another word." Jin ordered harshly. "The bastard. I will make him regret the day he ever laid a finger on her."_

_A soft, half shy smile touched Ryou's lips as relief filled his features. "Thank you Jin. I knew I could trust you."_

* * *

Yami had to put down his cup of coffee before he even took his first sip. Behind his dark sunglasses, his blood red eyes widened in shock as the enormity of the situation became clear to him.

"I can't believe it." He said quietly.

Seated across from him in at the secluded table in the back of Yami's favorite haunts, Bakura stopped picking at his raisin scone long enough to flash the surprised young king one of his trademark superior sneers.

"I never thought my Hikari housed such deep bane of malevolence."

"I always assumed Malik was the deranged one." Yami sipped his drink. He lowered his cup immediately. "While I admire Ryou's ingenuity, it does bother me that he chose to involve Yuugi in his little game."

"Actually, Pharaoh, you involved your light when chose to loose your cool and whip up on that mortal." Long legs in a short blue skirt had the Spirit of the Ring half turning in his seat to watch the girl pass.

"You are a rake." Yami muttered in appreciation.

"I am a free man with a healthy libido," he corrected. "If you weren't so obsessed with controlling every aspect of little Yuugi's life, you too could be appeasing your sexual appetites on this wonderful bevy of feminine beauty in its many delights."

"No thank you," he replied magnanimously, "Yuugi more than satisfy my needs."

Bakura snorted, "Faggot."

"Remember I will take out my displeasure against you on Ryou." Yami reminded him.

"You wouldn't dare." Bakura said with conviction, "You wouldn't dare ruin your own fun."

"True." A smile as dark and cruel as any of Bakura's graced Yami's handsome face. "Your light has provided me with a most wonderful gift. How shall I _ever_ repay him for this gesture?"

"Just let us be there when you rip Jin's beating heart from his chest." Bakura murmured in their ancient language while he smiled up at their waitress. "You are quiet lovely," he drawled, "I would consider it a pleasure and honor if you agree to accept my telephone number."

Ah, one of the things Yami loved about his relationship with Yuugi. He did not have to waste time with pick up lines or trying to impress someone who he might not like at the end of the date. No, with Yuugi it had been simple, easy. Scorching, soulful looks filled with yearning. Lingering touches, fleeting caresses and one long, aching kiss had that delicious boy at Yami sensual mercy.

Which brought him back to their encounter that morning in the kitchen? He had missed his class and Yuugi had been terribly late, but it had been worth it just to remind Yuugi that he was still wanted despite his form. Yami admitted that it had been rather awkward there the first moment he went to claim Yuugi. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman and he had often preferred male lovers to women. He had always proven to be _au fait _in the art of amour. Nor had the years of madness since his death and restoration caused him to forget the countless ways of pleasure. But then there was no arguing about taste. He enjoyed men, he loved their bodies, the smell, the taste and Yuugi had been his idea of the perfect man. Yuugi had complained that he wanted his dick back, not as much as Yami did. Sure the breasts was nice and Yuugi's new vagina was fit him like a soft, leather glove (he planned to use that and ride it like mad and as often as he could until he restored his light to proper form.)

With indifference, Yami watched Bakura put both Honda and Ryou to shame. He had to admit, the lice ridden guttersnipe had a style and technique that seemed to work well on the opposite sex. But if Bakura could be a sex magnate it only served to reason (if not at all) Ryou that a closet psychopath. Yami was not impressed that Ryou would attempt to have one of his rivals killed. It was the idea itself of Ryou, wimpy little, easily scared shitless Ryou was doing it. Now he could have easily believed Bakura was just making it up to keep him from killing the effeminate little dandy one day. But Bakura could not lie to him nor could Ryou lie to Bakura.

By the Gods, little Ryou had finally grown up and he was a vicious motherfucker.

Yami finished off his espresso, a pensive look in his dark eyes as he recalled that evening he saw Yuugi in the arms of another man.

It rankled—no, it still pissed him off all to hell, that the little bit of dog shit had dared to touch his light. Apparently this Hideyo Jin bastard, didn't not know who the fuck he just crossed. Hideyo Jin had to die, Yami decided. Before this game was over with, he was going to make that wart faced coward beg and scream for his life while he let the Shadows loose on his flesh and then he was fucking kill him and keep him alive while he fed his still beating heart to the shadows and maybe then he just might let him die. But only after he beg for Yami's forgiveness for daring to touch and lust after Yuugi. A malicious grin stretched the Pharaoh's cruel lips as visions of blood and ruined limbs danced about his head. Since he could not touch Kaiba, Ryou had given him the next best thing.

* * *

Yuugi had been excused from gym after vomiting on the floor of the girls' locker room. He got a lot of sympathy from his fellow suffers of this hated affliction and more than one offer of Midol.

Luckily the school day was ending which meant he could go home and crawl into bed with a heating pad for his back and his stomach. That rotten Alieve just wasn't working but Yuugi was stubborn in his refusal to take the girly-meds, there would be no Midol going his mouth. Another vicious cramp ripped at his guts. Yuugi bit back whimper as he tightened his already white knuckled fist even more. He was a man, a man would suck this shit up and ignore this pain—But damn it, when it feels like you kicked in the gut by a horse repeatedly, not even the strongest man in the world could ignore that type of pain.

Yuugi squeezed his eyes shut as he wrapped his arms about his waist. He hurt. His back hurt, his stomach hurt, even his tailbone was throbbing from pain. Damnit, if it didn't stop soon he was going to—A sharp tap on the back of his head had Yuugi half turning in his seat and a snarl on his lips. Behind him Anzu held out two white little pills and her water bottle.

She winked at him. "I promise, they won't turn you into a girl." She said quietly.

All protest and pretense were forgotten as Yuugi downed the nasty little disks without a sip of water.

Anzu's lips curled in disgust. Trust a guy to do something that sick.

There was no immediate effect, Yuugi cursed the so called feminine wonder drug and went back to rubbing his sore, cramped stomach. God, when would that final bell ring?

As soon as that last bell rang, Yuugi tried to run from the classroom, but another intense wave of pain swamped him and he remained in his seat. He was going to kill her. Yuugi swore when Yami finally caught the bitch that did this to him, he was going to kick her ass then break her fucking neck..

Anzu stood before him, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she watched Yuugi for a moment before she bent down and picked up his bag. After a moment Yuugi was able to open his eyes, the pain abated enough for him to move.

Anzu shook her head at him. "I warned you that this would happen."

"Shut up." He groused as he gingerly rose to his feet. The last thing he needed was Anzu following behind him with her tired chorus of 'I-told-you-so' in his ears.

"You should have taken something as you felt a the slight bit of—"

"Don't start bitching at me. I'm in the mood to do hit back." Yuugi growled. He winced when his lower back protested against his moving.

She ignored his blustering, Yuugi was half hunched over in pain from his cramps. Serves him right, she smirked to herself. Yuugi was the typical insensitive guy when Anzu had her periods. He along with Jou and Honda used to tell her to shake it off or complain about her tampons if they were prowling through her stuff. She just could help but feel vindicated that one of them was suffering. And by the way Yuugi was groaning and doubled over, he was suffering bad.

The pair made it outside. Someone called out to Yuugi, Anzu caught the word rag before the jerk was shut up.

"Hey, Yug, Anzu, wait up."

Okay, Yuugi decided that God hated him. Jou had jogged over to them after punch the daylight out of the smart ass. Yuugi didn't know what possessed the blond boy to smack his sore tail bone or why Jou's hand was going that low in the first nor did he care. Jou never knew what hit him.

When he looked up, Yuugi had stalked off and Anzu was running trying to catch up with him. Slowly, Jou sat up and gingerly touched his throbbing jaw. He had forgotten that Yuugi had a nasty right hook.

Yuugi went outside the gates and down the line of cars waiting to pick up students. He was tired and ready to go home, but he couldn't Yami's car anywhere. Damn it, he wished he had worn his puzzle today. Without it, he couldn't communicate with Yami unless they had direct contact with each other.

He dropped down on one of the cold stone benches. Yuugi stuffed his hands inside his trouser pockets to ward off the chill. How could he have been so stupid as to leave his overcoat in his locker? It felt like January out here instead of November. God what was wrong with him?

A shadow fell over him, Yuugi cursed the idiot standing in front of him blocking out what little warmth he was getting from the sun. He looked up, ready to tear into the person in a PMS induced rage, when he met warm, familiar chestnut brown eyes.

Jin knew he was taking a risk. That Moto was a crazy bastard who didn't care where he was when he got into a fight, but at that moment Jin didn't care. He had to talk to Yuugi, to touch her...The need to feel her soft skin and taste her berry stained lips was so overwhelming that it hurt him.

Jin stepped out of the crowd of high school students and made his way over to his obsession. He came to stop before her and waited patiently for Yuugi to notice him. He watched in slight shuddered went though Yuugi's body before the girl lifted her head with a curse already on her pretty lips.

Yuugi swallowed the blistering oath and blushed, embarrassed because his already messed hormones decided to go further beyond just whacked. He was turning into a raving lunatic. Yuugi took a deep breath and counted to ten before he asked Jin why he was at his school.

"I thought it was rather obvious," the other guy joked. He dropped down to his haunches, consciously giving Yuugi the height advantage as well as humbling himself before this angel. "After that fantastic kiss in your grandfather's shop," he reached up one hand to cup Yuugi's chin, "I just had to have another..." He stretched forward as he drew Yuugi forward, ready to indulge in a fantasy he held onto since their last kiss only to be denied by irritating interruption.

"Hey, Yug!" Jou had spotted the multicolored head from the gates and shouted to his friend.

Yuugi jerked back from Jin, horror in shone in his lavender eyes as he realized what he had almost done. Jin started to reach from him again, but Yuugi evaded his hands and stood up quickly.

"You have to go." he said imploringly as Jin rose at his side. Yuugi cast a frantic look over his shoulder and saw his two friends making their way to him. He knew the exact moment Jou noticed Jin and Yuugi saw his friend's eyes became sharp slits as he sized Jin up.

Yuugi wanted to scream in frustration, Jin was not moving away from him, only the opposite, and he was getting closer! And so were Jou and Anzu, who also noticed Jin. Yuugi would have fled the scene and the impending confrontations except Anzu had his bag and in reality, where would he go?

He felt Jin touch his right hand. He fingered the elegantly craved white gold band on his ring finger before Yuugi pulled his hand away.

"How can you be with someone who doesn't appreciate you?" Although his voice was softer than a whisper, Yuugi heard the rage and disgust quiet clearly.

He met Jin's gaze, confusion showed on Yuugi's face. "What are you talking about?" He asked in return.

"Yami Moto," his admirer ground out harshly. "He doesn't love you, Yuugi. You have to see that—"

This had gone far enough. Yuugi didn't know what was going on with Jin nor did he really care at that moment. He had a made a mistake by kissing him, but it just one time and it would never happen again. He started to tell Jin just that but his friend appeared in his line of sight.

"Yo, Yug," Jou draped a possessive arm about his friend's shoulders as he made himself apart of this conversation. To Jin he said, "I haven't seen you around here before."

Now it was Jin's turn to size up the rangy youth with his hands on Yuugi. The kid was tall, looked fairly athletic and his attitude was just daring Jin to make the first move. Jin knew the kid was spoiling for a fight. Fortunately for him, Jin had no intentions of providing him with the beat down he deserved.

Luckily a pretty girl, the same one from this morning that Yuugi beamed with a package of panties joined them.

"Damn, Jou." She panted as she shoved a heavy pack at the blond. "I told you to take Yuugi's bag."

Yuugi was looking for any excuse to crawl out of this mess and his bag provided. "Oh, shit!" he cried as he made a pretense of checking his bag for his coat. "Don't tell me I left my coat in my locker! Damn, my keys are in there too."

"I can understand why you forgot it," Anzu smirked, "You've been too busy trying to..."

Over Yuugi's head, Jou and Jin continued their staring contest. Yuugi and Anzu were forgotten until they heard a horn sound and then Bakura shouted, "Yuugi, get in here before your boyfriend—"

"C'mon, Yuugi." Anzu ducked between the two guys and caught Yuugi's arm and dragged him over to the line of cars.

Bakura got out, rather he was roughly shoved out of the front passenger seat and just caught himself on the door just avoiding knocking Yuugi over. The two exchanged apologetic glances before Bakura turned to give Yami a piece of his mind. Yuugi slipped into the front seat and Yami kissed him in greeting.

"You look tired, Hikari," he murmured as he gave him a mental caress.

Yuugi slumped back in his seat and closed his eyes. "You were right, I should have stayed at home." He yawned broadly.

"I'll take you home."

Anzu managed to squeeze in beside Bakura and the white haired thief and leaned over the front seat, "Yami, I need a ride to the tram."

"Do I look like a taxi?"

"Yes." She said smartly.

"Get out."

"You owe me." She reminded him.

Yami muttered under his breath, "Harpy."

She retorted with saucy, "Jackass."

"Yami," Yuugi groaned in pain. "Damnit, Anzu! Stop flirting with Yami, you harlot! You I know I am dying!"

"Once you are dead, I can move in on the grieving widower and become the next Mrs. Yami Moto." She leaned over and brushed a kiss again Yuugi's sullen mouth.

"Yeah," Bakura cheered from the back, "That's what I'm talking about. Hot girl on girl action."

Anzu dropped down in the back seat and made an obscene gesture. "You are such a pervert, Bakura."

"I'm not the one playing tonsil hockey with the Pharaoh's light." The ancient youth smiled knowingly at her.

Anzu shrieked and swatted at his left arm. "You creep! Get your damned hand off my tight."

Yami fought down a laugh as he put the car in gear and eased into traffic. He glanced over at Yuugi, a gentle smile on his face as he watched his lover sleep. He reached out and smoothed a silken golden strain from Yuugi's eyes and unconsciously Yuugi leaned into his touch.

This was what it was all about, Yami said to himself as he caressed Yuugi's slipping face a final time before he directed his attention to the traffic and the road. Just him and Yuugi. No one was going to ever separate them; Neither God nor mortal would ever breach their bond, for if one tried; Yami vowed to would make sure they would regret it. Death would just be the beginning of their suffering.

For this, Hideyo Jin would do nicely.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Title: Girl Troubles

Author: Sean Wright

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh

Remember: If you don't like this fic then don't read it.

Chapter Eleven

Yuugi didn't know why he let Anzu talk him into driving her to the mall. He was tried and crabby as hell which made him extremely poor company. All Yuugi wanted to do that bright, yet frigid Saturday was stay ion the couch with his electric blanket, enjoy his mug of cocoa, and maybe snuggle with Yami. (Yuugi was feeling down and wanted attention.) But no, that it not meant to be.

Anzu had shown up at the godly hour of ten, right in the middle of Yuugi's cartoons and demanded that he take her to the mall.

Yami, from his side of the couch, said that it would was good idea. Yuugi needed to get out of the house. However, Yuugi did not agree with the Pharaoh. He had finally gotten over the nasty bit of misery and with his grandfather gone out to visit friends and the shop was close, Yuugi just wanted to spend time with Yami. Which was a problem; Yami could not concentrate with Yuugi near by. He was working hard on his list of people (and deities) would wanted him dead. It was a long list to start with, then Bakura and Marik had to thrown in their suggestion and that thing just doubled. Having Yuugi near was a distracting temptation that he could ill afford right now.

When Yuugi tried to get out of it, Yami was quick to point out the house errands that needed to taken care of, such as the former king needed more socks.

Thus the intrepid pair to the streets of Domino, in Sugoroku minivan, to dropped off and retrieve the dry cleaning, stopped by the chemist to have Sugoroku's prescriptions filled, and run to the groceries.

Yami needed more socks and he absolutely refused the wear the same underwear twice. So it was off to the mall for Calvin Klein underwear to see the pharaoh through another two weeks. Anzu knew that if Yami wasn't making his own money, Yuugi would most defiantly _not_ be buying Yami new underclothes every two weeks.

They stopped for a couple lattes before heading out to purchase Yami's necessities. At the mall, Anzu managed to persuade Yuugi to buy a sweater that she thought looked great on him and he generously purchased a blouse that she had been salivating over. (That was main reason Anzu loved to go shopping with Yuugi. He always bought her things without ever saying she would have to pay him back.) Anzu left the mall with not only that blouse, but a new skirt, a jacket, and pair of boots that she would have killed for and it didn't cost her a single yin.

After the adventures, Yuugi insisted that they stop for lunch at McDonald's. He knew Anzu wasn't big on the fast food place, but he wanted a Big Mac. Yami hated the place more than Anzu and he would never come to the store or allow Yuugi to have it if they were together. He promised Anzu another night of high cinema in exchange for her silence. She agreed only after he threw in dinner at her favorite restaurant. He kissed her soundly and promised...he froze.

"Yuugi," Anzu said worriedly. When he didn't respond, she touched his hand that still rested on her neck. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Without a word Yuugi let her go. He stepped around her. Anzu turned around and saw Yuugi rather menacingly confront some guy. Belatedly Anzu recognized him or she though she did. She started to join them but heard their order come up. As she grabbed their food, she glanced back at Yuugi, but he had gone outside with that guy.

Yuugi shrugged Jin's hand off his arm then folded them under his breast as he glared up at his stalker.

"Why won't you talk to me, Yuugi?" Jin cried. He tried to touch him again, but Yuugi drew back leaving him frustrated and confused. "You know I want you."

This was fucking crazy. Yuugi blew out a short breath and shook his head, "Why are you doing this, Jin?" He countered. "How many times do I have to tell you that I am with someone else? Damnit, I love Yami Moto," He looked up at him then his eyes pleading with Jin to understand. "I'm in love with him. Hell, we're getting married next year. Why can't you accept it and leave me alone?"

"What do I have to do to make you see that he's all wrong for you?" Jin reached out to him, this time Yuugi did not pull away. Encouraged by this, he drew closer to Yuugi, eliminating the space between them. "You don't love him Yuugi."

"You don't know us," he protested but it sounded weak in his own ears. He knew what Jin was thinking by the look in his eyes.

"If you two are as tight as you say then you would have told me to go to hell a long time ago." Jin looked down at Yuugi's mouth then back into his eyes. "If your love was so strong then why are you here with me?"

He brought his hand up and pushed Jin's hand away. "I'm not with you." He told him. "I can't be with you, even if it was something I wanted. More than that, you should be thankful that I don't."

"You're lying." Jin whispered. "I can see the truth in your eyes…"

Yuugi shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going give my life for you." His voice was merciless as he destroyed Jin's illusion. "I don't know you; you sure as hell don't know me."

"I know enough about your little relationship to realize it not right—"

"Not right?" Yuugi scoffed, "What the hell are you talking about? My life is fucking perfect. I have everything I could have possibly wanted. Every thing I ever dreamed of, wished for, and desired is given to me. I have the most perfect boyfriend, who worships the damn ground I walk on. I got great friends, the best home life, and an excellent future waiting for me. Why the hell would I give up any of it for you?"

"I can love you."

"I'm adored, worshipped, and loved by a man though of as a god by his peers." Yuugi said sharply. _You are a prize held before the Gods to spite them._

"I can make you happy."

"That is why I have friends and my grandfather. I am the most precious thing in the world them. They live to make me happy. "You_ are isolated from reality by those who say they care for you._

"But do they keep you safe?"

"Yami protects me." Yuugi told him, "He keeps me safe because he loves me." _He is covetous of the time and attention you give to anyone other than him._

Thin, cold arms settled possessively around his waist as breath reeking of sulfuric acid filled his nose. Frozen lips touched the tip of his right ear in a feather light kiss before she dropped her chin to his shoulder.

_ "You worst than honey," she said, her tone was light and amused. "Men flock to you in droves to adore you, to worship you. No wonder the Scourge of Kemet keeps you."_

"Yuugi," Jin's voice cut through her breathy whispers. "Just give me a chance and I promise—"

_"He promises." Her arms tightened around him enough to hurt, "He promises to love you, to comfort you, to keep you. Poor, helpless little light." She giggled, "Such arrogance—"_

"Jin," Yuugi gasped. Her arms were like steel binds on his chest and they were closing tighter.

_ "He can't save you," she snarled. "I'm a shadow in the light. He cannot touch what does not exist." The bite on his ear stung._

"Oh, God, Yuugi, you're bleeding," Jin leapt forward, concern evident on his face and in motion.

Yuugi would have given anything to fall into his arms; anything, just to be away from her.

_Her hands slid down to his belly, a sharp contraction tore through his gut. The intensity drove him to his knees._

"_Yuugi!_" He heard Anzu scream his name.

"Help me," he reached out for Jin.

_Her hand sank into his flesh, "For all your sins of arrogance, pride, and vanity being the worst of them. You must give your life. Poor little Yuugi, you can't blame anyone else for this, but you." _


End file.
